Games
by mockinjay14
Summary: When the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else. I can't go down without a fight. Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games. This is Peeta's story during The Hunger Games. I don't own The Hunger Games or any of it's characters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"See that little girl?" My dad says pointing to a girl wearing a red paid dress, and two braids. She looks like she could be my age. I look back to my father. "I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner."

I'm confused. "A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could've had you?" I ask.

My dad smiles. "Because when he sings," My dad pauses. "Even the birds stop to listen."

"Peeta! Come down hear and get to work!" My eyes open, and I jump out of bed. I don't want to make my mother angry. I get dressed quickly, and run into the bakery. My family owns the bakery in District Twelve. My dad pats me on the back as I start to bake. As I bake, I think about my dream.

I was five years old when my dad pointed her out the girl. Her name is Katniss Everdeen. It was the first day of school when my dad pointed her out to me. Later that day, when we were in music class, our teacher asked who knew the Valley Song and Katniss raised her hand. Our teacher had her sing for us, and all the birds outside got quiet. After that, I knew I was a goner, like Katniss's mother.

For the past eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to her. The closest I've ever came to was when we were eleven. Katniss had just lost her dad to the mines and she was struggling to provide for her family, it was raining outside and we left the kitchen door in the back of the bakery open.

I was in the kitchen looking out the door while I worked. Then, I saw her, Katniss was standing outside in the rain. Her cloths were soaked. She stood there for a while, then looked through are trash bin, outside the bakery. I cringed hoping my mother wouldn't notice. Katniss lifted the lid of the bin. She was looking for anything worth money or food.

I looked away. Katniss must be starving if she was looking through our empty trash bins for food. Her little sister, Prim and her mom were probably starved too.

"Move on!" I heard my mom scream. I looked up to find my mother in the door way of the kitchen, yelling at Katniss. I walked slowly to my mother. I stood right behind her and looked over to Katniss. My mother yelled some more rude things and put the lid back on.

My mother didn't like people from the part of District Twelve called the Seam, because they were so poor. Katniss was from the Seam. I watched as Katniss walked away from the bin.

My mom looked at me and pointed inside. I ran to the fire and dropped some bread in. She walked to the fire. "You burned them!" my mother yelled. My older brothers, Rye and Graham looked away. My mom took a rolling pin and struck me with it along my check bone.

I walked out of the kitchen door while my mother yelled "Feed it to the pig, you stupid creature! Why not? No one decent will buy burned bread!" I started to tear chunks and toss them to the pig. The bell at the front of the bakery rang. I looked back and my mother wasn't there. Katniss was sitting by the roots of a tree. Without thinking, I tossed the loaf of bread in Katniss's direction. I swallowed hard and went inside.

I watched as Katniss took the bread and ran off, toward the Seam. I smiled. Good. Now she will have something to eat. But soon regret filled me, and should have gone out into the rain and gave it to her. That would have been a lot nicer.

The next day I passed her in the hall. I was with my friends and didn't acknowledge her at all. After school, when Katniss was going to get Prim, like everyday, I watched her from across the school yard. Our eyes met for just one second. I turned my head away embarrassed I looked back from the corner of my eye. Katniss bent down and picked a dandelion off the ground.

The bell in the front rings, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Hello Gale." my dad greets. At the sound of his name, jealousy fills me. Gale is Katniss's best friend and hunting partner. He lives the Seam too. Almost everyone from the Seam have dark hair and grey eyes, and so Gale and Katniss do resemble each other. They started hunting together when Katniss was twelve, Gale is two years older than me, so he was fourteen. Gale makes me jealous because everyone in town think they are perfect for each other, that they will grow up, get married, and have three kids with dark hair and grey eyes.

"Hello." I hear Gale's voice say. "I have some meat, if you'd like to trade today." Katniss and Gale trade what they hunt, for whatever is valuable to them at the moment. I walk into the front of the store, to watch the conversation.

"Alright then, what do you have?" my dad says.

"I've got two rabbits and a squirrel, sir." Gale says politely.

My dad rubs his chin. "I'll take the squirrel, you take the rabbits home."

"You can have the rabbits, I'm going hunting again today." Gale says.

"I'll take the squirrel, Gale." my dad says. I smile, because my dad is such a great person. My dad hands Gale a loaf of bread. "Good luck today." Gale hands him the squirrel and walks out of the bakery.

My dad wishes everyone good luck, today. Today is the Reaping. The day two teenagers will be picked from each district in Panem to go into The Hunger Games, as punishment for a rebellion that no one alive today was involved in.

There were originally thirteen districts and the Capitol. But the uprising ended in the destruction of District Thirteen and the deaths of countless lives.

The Hunger Games is an annual fight to the death. It begins with the Reaping, then the tributes are taken to the Capitol, and prepared for the fight. There may only be one winner, or, victor. The victor will be interviewed, and taken on the tour of the districts, then they will be mentors for the next tributes, and the cycle will start over, and over again for the Capitol's entertainment.

People from the Seam, like Katniss and Gale, have is worse. There is a program called a tessere, where you can put your name in the Reaping bowl again for food. So the poor have their names in way more times. I wish Katniss good luck. I know she signed up for tesserae multiple time just this year.

I sigh and continue to work until my dad calls me to get ready for the Reaping. Where my fate, for this year will be determined.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Rye, Graham, please help your brother get ready." my dad says.

"But, dad!" Rye whines as if he were six years old.

"Rye, it's not like you have anything better to do, go help Peeta, or I'll get your mother." dad says calmly. I smirk as Rye's eyes widen.

My brothers sprint over to me. "I don't need your help." I tell them.

"Shh... Of course you do. Your the baby. You need someone to tie your shoe lases, and whip your nose." Rye says.

Graham is twenty two, but he's too lazy to move out. Rye is eighteen and isn't old enough to move out yet. Apparently. All three of us have blonde hair and blue eyes. Which, like dark hair and grey eyes being popular in the Seam, is popular in the Merchant's side of town.

Rye and Graham help me get dressed in my nicest cloths. Graham does my hair, which, wasn't necessary. My brothers step back to examine their work, they both nod in approval and run out of the room. "Last one to the Reaping!" Graham calls.

I roll my eyes and run after them. It's not like I'm gonna let them win. We sprint all the way to the Justice Building. I manage to pass Rye, because he stopped to look in a shop window. But Graham beats me there.

I go to my assigned section and wait as the mayor and District Twelves escort, Effie Trinket, take their seats on the stage. Now, only one chair is empty, I roll my eyes, knowing who's supposed to sit there.

As the clock strikes two, Mayor Undersee walks to the podium and begins his annual speech about the rebellion that resulted in The Hunger Games, and a whole district blown off the face of the world, known as the Dark Days. Then, he reads off the names of District Twelve's past victors.

District Twelve only has two victors. And only one is alive today. Haymitch Abernathy. He staggers to the stage and falls into the empty chair. He is drunk. He tries to give Effie Trinket a big hug, but she manages to get away quick enough.

They mayor announces Effie. Effie prances over to the podium. "Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor!" Effie says. This year, she wears a pink wig. "Ladies first!" she walks to the glass ball holding the girls names. Holding Katniss's name.

Effie pulls out a slip of paper and walks back to the podium. She smooths the slip of paper, and says the name in a clear voice. And it's not Katniss. It's Prim Rose Everdeen. Katniss's little sister. Prim walks slowly to the stage. "Prim!" I hear Katniss's voice shout. "Prim!" Then I see Katniss walking towards Prim, just as Prim makes it to the steps, Katniss reaches her and pushes Prim behind her. Then she says "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" And my heart sinks.

She will be fine. I tell myself. She can hunt. And it's better than Prim going in, anyway. Prim is twelve, and Katniss is sixteen.

"Lovely!" Effie says. "But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the Reaping winner and then asking for volunteers, and if one does come forth then we, umm..."

"What does it matter?" the mayor says. "What does it matter? Let her come forward." Pr

Prim is screaming behind Katniss, and I feel bad for her. Prim wraps her arms around Katniss and screams "No, Katniss! No! You can't go!" Katniss says something to Prim. Gale approaches the two sisters and pulls Prim away from Katniss. Prim is screaming and thrashing in Gale's arms as he carries her away. Katniss walks up the steps.

"Well, brovo!"Effie says. "That's the spirit of the Games! What's your name?"

"Katniss Everdeen," she says.

"I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her to steal the glory, do we? Come on everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" Effie exclames.

No one claps. I watch someone else do it, then do the same. The whole crowed does this. I touch the three middle fingers of my left hand to my lips and hold it out to Katniss. This is an old gesture in District Twelve. It means goodbye to someone you love.

Haymitch comes staggering across the stage to Katniss. "Look at her. Look at this one!" Haymitch shouts, putting his arm around Katniss's shoulders. "I like her! Lots of..." Haymitch searches for the right word. "Spunk! More than you." Haymitch starts walking toward the front of the stage. "More than you!" Haymitch shouts pointing right at the camera. Haymitch opens his mouth again to speak, but falls off the stage. Katniss's eyes widen. Haymitch is taken away on a stretcher.

"What an exciting day!" Effie exclames as she tries to straighten her wig. "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!" Effie prances to the glass ball that holds the boys names. She grabs a slip and runs back to the podium. I close my eyes. Please don't let it be me. Let it say Gale Hawthorne. He could protect Katniss, then die. Please don't let is say...

"Peeta Mellark!"

My eyes snap open. I look right at the stage, but I can feel Katniss's eyes on me, so I look down. I try not to let my emotions show on my face, but it's probably not working.

Once I get to the stage, Effie asks for volunteers. Please make Gale volunteer. Or even Rye. I can't go into The Hunger Games with Katniss, and make it back out. No one volunteer. So, I'll keep Katniss safe, and die in the Games.

They mayor reads from the Treaty of Treason, that basically states that because the rebellion, each district will Reap two people to go into the Games.

I think about everything that I know about Katniss. Which isn't much. The mayor motions for Katniss and I to shake hands. Katniss's hands are rough. I look Katniss right in the eyes and decide they aren't grey, there silver. I give Katniss's hand a slight squeeze.

Peacekeepers surround us and take us inside the Justice Building. In these walls, I will say goodbye to my family.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I wait for one of my family members to enter the room. After minutes of waiting, my mother walks in. "Can we make this fast?" she asks as she walks to me.

"Sure," I say. My mother can't even take the time to give me a proper goodbye. We all know I will die.

"Alright, goodbye." my mother mumbles. She steps closer to me and I close my eyes out of instinct and wait for her to hit me. Her arms wrap around me, and we hug. I open my eyes. Maybe she does care about me.

My mother pulls away and begins to walk the door. "Maybe District Twelve will finally have a winner." she mumbles. I smile but then she adds. "She's a survivor." I frown and nod as the door closes, at least she said something positive about Katniss. A tear falls on my hand. I wipe my face off quickly, Rye and Graham might walk in and I don't want them to see my cry.

When the door opens again, both my brothers walk in. "Hey, at least you have an excuse to talk to her." says Rye.

I look up. "How did you know about..." I trail off.

"Peeta, you stare at her all the time!" Rye says. "It's so obvious you like her." Graham punches Rye on his arm, signalling for him to stop talking. I look down.

Rye sits down next to me. "Hey, you have an advantage over the rest of them,"

I look right at him. "Yeah, and whats that?" I ask, knowing he'll say something stupid.

"If you can survive sixteen years in the same house as mom, you can survive anything the Gamemakers will throw in your path." Rye says. Graham and I roll our eyes.

"But, what if I don't want to win?" I ask.

Graham looks at me. "Your suicidal?" he asks.

"No. I mean, I'd rather live, but I want Katniss to come back." I say.

"Oh, Peeta that's so sweet!" Rye says. I roll my eyes. The door opens, and the Peacekeeper motions for my brothers to leave.

"Bye, Peeta!" Rye shouts as he hugs me.

"Good luck in there, Peeta" Graham says, then gives me a hug.

They walk out the door and the Peacekeeper shuts it.

After a while my Dad walks in, he brought me cookies. He doesn't says anything. He just walks to me and hugs me. We hug for the whole goodbye, but that's fine with me, it's more comforting to me than my brothers awkward goodbye, or my mother.

The Peacekeeper opens the door, and we pull apart. He hands me the cookies, and walks to the door. "Bye son," my dad says before the door shuts.

Now that I know no one else will come, I cry until it's time to get on the train. Why is this happening? Why am I going into The Hunger Games with Katniss?

A Peacekeeper comes in and notices my tears. He motions for me to follow him. I stand up and stop crying. But, I don't wipe my tears. Why should I? I won't win. Katniss will. I'll make sure she does.

We travel by car to the train station. I've never been in a car before, but I have traveled by wagon, which is similar in some ways.

Once we get to the train station, there are lots of reporters and cameras. I know they will see my tears, but it will make Katniss look stronger.

Katniss looks like she doesn't care about what she'll have to do. I know deep down she does. I know she is worried about how her sister would get food if she didn't come back. I sigh. Gale would fed her family. Gale would take care of Prim, just like Katniss would take care of Gale's siblings, if he went into the Games. I wish Gale was going into the Games instead of me.

We get onto the train, the train doors close, and the train starts moving. Effie tells me I can do anything I want, as long as I'm ready for super in an hour. Katniss goes into her room, on the train.

I take a shower and change my cloths. I go to the table where dinner will be served and wait for the others. I get to meet my mentor, Haymitch there. Effie walks past me and stops when she sees me. "Oh! I see you're already here. I was just going to get you." Effie says, then goes off to get the others.

After a minute of so, Effie comes back with Katniss. She's wearing a green shirt and pants.

"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asks.

"Last time I saw him, he said he was going to take a nap." I tell her.

"Well, it's been an exhausting day!" Effie says.

We eat of food in silence. "At least you two have decent manner!" says Effie. "The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion." Effie tells us. I roll my eyes.

Katniss drops her fork and knife and picks her food up with her hands and shoves it into her mouth. She eats like this for the rest of the meal. I smile. After Katniss is done with the whole meal, she wipes her hands on the table cloth. She looks up to Effie, and smiles.

Once I'm done with the food, I work hard to keep the food down. I have never eaten so much food. Mom only lets us eat the stale bread. And we usually only get meat when Katniss or Gale trade with us.

I look at Katniss, she looks like she's also not trying to throw up. I notice something pined to her shirt. It's a bird holding an arrow in it's beak. I think I've seen that kind of bird before.

We go to another room on the train to watch the Reaping. I don't really pay attention to it though, because I know I wont make it out of the arena. Instead I watch Katniss. She is way more interesting than trying to figure out who will kill me in a few days. Once they show the District Twelve Reaping, we sit there for a minute. I continue to watch Katniss as she stares at the blank TV screen.

"Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behavior." Effie says and I finally look away from Katniss to meet Effie.

I laugh. "He was drunk. He's drunk every year." I say, still laughing a little.

"Every day." Katniss adds. And I laugh harder.

"Yes." Effie says. "How odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your life line to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!"

Haymitch walks into the room. "I miss super?" he says. Haymitch, then vomits on the carpet, and falls in it.

"So laugh away!" Effie says then hops around Haymitch's vomit, and leaves the room. We watch as Haymitch struggles to stand up but keeps falling back into his vomit. Katniss and I exchange a glance. We both stand up and take one of Haymitch's arms and help him up.

"I tripped?" says Haymitch. "Smells bad."

"Let's get you back to your room. Clean you up a bit." I say. We carry Haymitch to his room. We put him in the bathtub and turn the shower on. I look at Katniss and can tell she is not looking forward to cleaning off Haymitch.

"It's okay, I'll take it from here." I say.

She looks at me for a long time. "Alright." she finally says. "I can send one of the Capitol people to help you." Katniss says.

I couldn't make those people come here and help me clean off Haymitch. "No. I don't want them." I say.

Katniss nods and walks out of the room. I turn to Haymitch, who just sits there. I take off Haymitch's cloths, and clean him as fast as I can, because, I really just want to go to sleep.

Once I'm finally done, I help Haymitch into his bathrobe and drag him into his bed. I pull the covers over Haymitch, and walk back to my room. I take another shower, put on some cloths and lay down.

I cry some more, and fall asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next morning, Haymitch and I talk about strategy for the Games, over breakfast. Not that I want to win.

Once Katniss comes out Haymitch makes her sit down. The servers put a bunch of food in front of her. She doesn't touch the food though until she finishes her cup of hot chocolate.

Once Katniss is done eating, she looks at me and Haymitch. "So you're supposed to give us advice." Katniss says.

Haymitch looks up from his food. "Here's some advice. Stay alive," Haymitch says, then starts laughing. I'm starting to get angry because he was giving me advice before Katniss got out here.

"That's very funny," I say and lash out on the glass in Haymitch's hand. It falls, shattering on the floor. "Only not to us." I add.

Haymitch punches me in the jaw. And I fall from my chair. He goes back to the table to get something. Katniss drives her knife into the table barely missing Haymitch's fingers. "Well, what's this? Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" he asks.

I stand up and pick up and handful of ice from the fruit tureen. I raise it to my jaw. "No, let the bruise show. The audience will think you've mixed up with another tribute before you've even made it to the arena." Haymitch says.

"That's against the rules." I say.

"Only if they catch you. That bruise will say you fought, you weren't caught, even better," says Haymitch. "Can you hit anything with that knife besides a table?" he asks Katniss.

Katniss yanks the knife from the table and throws it at the wall across the room. It gets lodged in the seam between two panels.

"Stand over here. Both of you." says Haymitch. We do, and he circles us. He checks out muscles and our faces. Well, your not entirely hopeless. Seem fit. And once the stylists get hold of you, you'll be attractive enough."

"All right, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you." Haymitch says. "But you have to do exactly what I say."

Well, I guess it's better than having no mentor. "Fine," I say.

"So help us," Katniss says. "When we get to the arena. What's the best strategy at the Cornucopia for someone-"

"One thing at a time. In a few minutes, we'll be pulling into the station. You're not going to like what they do to you. But no matter what it is, don't resist," says Haymitch.

"But-" Katniss begins.

"No buts. Don't resist," Haymitch says. He takes his bottle and leaves the car. The lights outside the train turn off, we must be in the tunnel that runs through the mountains, into the Capitol.

Katniss and I are silent, and it's kind of awkward. The train begins to slow down and bright lights flood the train compartment. Katniss and I run to the window to see the Capitol. The people begin to point at us.

Katniss steps away from the window. I wave and smile at the crowd. And don't stop until the train pulls into the station. I turn to find Katniss glaring at me. I shrug. "Who knows. One of them may be rich."

Katniss stares at me for a long time. I sit down at the table. When I turn to face Katniss, again, I can see hatred in her eyes. Now, I'm wondering what I did. She turns around quickly and walks out of the train compartment.

Effie walks into the compartment. "Wheres Katniss?" I point to the door. Effie runs off. Minutes later, Effie comes back holding Katniss's wrist.

Effie walks over to me. "Are you ready, Peeta?" she asks.

I nod, and she grabs my wrist. Effie pulls us out of the train, her grip on my wrist is very tight. Like handcuffs. Not that I know what they would feel like.

We get into a car that drives us to the Remake Center. We get out of the car, and Peacekeepers surround us. I can't even see Katniss. She's lost in the crowd of uniformed Peacekeepers.

Once we get into the Remake Center, the Peacekeepers disappear. Then, about six colorful people surround Katniss and I. Three of them pull Katniss away, and the other three stay with me.

"We are so lucky, we're your prep team." one of the ladies says.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because, we'll only have to hose you off once." says another.

"District Twelves female tribute, will have to be washed off more than that. She's from the dirtiest part of District Twelve." says the last one.

"Dirtiest part of Panem." The first one to talk mumbles.

I roll my eyes,I can't believe these women. Katniss isn't that dirty.

They take me to a station to work on me. Soon they tell me that my stylist, Portia, is ready to see me.

I follow one of them to a room. "Go inside, Portia will be there soon." The door closes. I don't have my cloths on, they gave me a robe to wear for a while, but they took it.

The door opens and a woman walks in. "Hello, I'm Portia." she says.

"Hello," I say.

Portia had dark skin, slightly curled blonde hair, and long, golden finger nails. She wears all black.

Portia circles me. "Alright, you can put your robe back on." she tells me. I do, and follow her into a sitting room. She sits on a sofa across from me. Portia presses a button, and our lunch appears.

Portia clears her throat. "As you know at the Tribute Parade, the tributes must dress to, reflect their district." I nod. "And Cinna, and I have agreed that the coal miner outfit has been overdone. No one would remember you if you were dressed like that. And Cinna and I want to make this years District Twelve tributes unforgettable" says Portia. I smile and nod. Cinna must be Katniss's stylist.

"So, instead of focusing on coal mining itself, we're going to focus on the coal." says Portia. "And what do people do with coal? We burn it."

A few hours latter, I'm dressed in a black unitard that covers me from my ankle to my neck, shiny leather boots that go up to my knees. And a cape made of streams of yellow, red, and orange. With a matching head piece.

"It's not real flame. It's just synthetic fire." says Portia.

Once we meet up with Katniss and her team. I see that Katniss is dressed exactly like me. Except, Katniss wears a little makeup.

We are taken to our chariots. Our horses are black like coal. Cinna and Portia adjust our body positions and the cape, then leave.

"What do you think?" Katniss whispers. "About the fire?"

"I'll rip off your cape if you'll rip off mine," I say.

"Deal," says Katniss. Katniss looks away. I guess the conversation is over.

"I know we promised Haymitch we'd do exactly what they said," begins Katniss, so I look at her again. "But I don't think he considered this angle."

I smile. "Where is Haymitch anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing" I ask.

"With all that alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to have him around an open flame," says Katniss.

We both laugh. I wish I could marry her someday. But instead, I'll die in the arena. And Katniss can marry Gale, or something.

The other tributes are not on their chariots. "What if those gates opened and the District One chariot rolled out without the tributes?" I whisper and Katniss laughs a little.

A few of the tributes get into the chariots but not a lot of them do. I'm kind of disappointed District One tributes were in the chariot.

Cinna appears with a lighted torch. "Here we go then," says Cinna. He lights our capes on fire, and I wait for it to burn me. But it doesn't. He climbs onto the chariot and lights our headdresses too. He sighs. "It works." says Cinna. 'It works'? Did he not test it before he lit us on fire? He tucks a hand under Katniss's chin. "Remember, heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you." Cinna says to Katniss making me jealous. Peeta, he's just her stylist, I mentally yell at myself.

Cinna jumps off the chariot and says something, I try to figure out what he's saying.

"What's he saying?" Katniss asks.

"I think he said for us to hold hands." I say. I grab her hand, and look back at Cinna, he nods and gives me a thumbs up. And we're pulled out into the city.

Everyone looks shocked, but then, they start yelling 'District Twelve' I watch Katniss from the corner of my eye. Katniss stares out into the crowed. Eventually, she starts waving to the crowed. Soon, she even blows a few kisses to them. As the ride goes on, her grip on my hand gets tighter and tighter. The Capitol people throw flowers at us, and shout our names. Katniss actually catches a rose.

We get to the City Circle and Katniss loosens her grip, I hold on to her tighter. "No don't let go of me, please. I might fall off this thing." I beg.

"Okay." It's all Katniss says.

President Snow welcomes us tributes from the balcony above. Then we are taken to the Training Center. Once we get there, both our prep teams come to congratulate us, then they start gossiping.

A lot of the other tributes glare at us. Cinna and Portia come to help us off the chariot. They remove our flaming capes and headdresses, and Portia extinguishes them. I look down at me hand and realize Katniss is still holding my hand.

As if Katniss noticed, as well, she pull her hand away. We both begin to massage our hands. "Thanks for keeping hold of me. I was getting a little shaky there," I say.

"It didn't show, I'm sure no one noticed." Katniss says.

"I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you. You should wear flames more often. They suit you." I say smiling.

Katniss blushes, a little. Then she stand on the toes and kisses my check, right over the bruise.

We are taken to the elevator of the Training Center. We get inside. "Alright, your from District Twelve, so you will stay on the twelfth floor." says Effie. She presses twelve and the elevator goes up.

Once we get to our floor, Effie starts talking about how she has been getting us sponsorship, and I ignore her, until I hear her say "Well, if you put enough pressure on coal it turns to pearls!"

Katniss and I share in Effie's enthusiasm about her pearl statement. But pears don't come from coal, they come from shellfish.

Effie shows us our chambers. I take a shower and lay on the bed for a while. Then, I leave the room, and Cinna and Portia invite me to come with them to the rooftop. The three of us talk and then we go to the balcony on our floor.

"Why must I always fetch Katniss? Why can't she come out and socialise before diner like the rest of us?" Effie asks.

"Katniss likes to keep to herself." I say with a shrug.

"Alright then, I'll go get Katniss." says Effie, then she runs off. Soon, Effie comes back with Katniss. She takes a seat at the table.

An Avox comes out and offers wine. Haymitch comes out. The meal is served, and we all eat. Cinna, Portia, Effie, and Haymitch, make small talk. I just eat my food. When an Avox sets a cake on the table and lights it, and the flames dance around the edges of the cake.

Katniss tilts her head. "What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?" Katniss asks the Avox. "That's the last thing I wa- oh! I know you." Katniss says.

"Don't be ridiculous, Katniss. How could you possibly know an Avox? The very thought." Effie says.

"What's an Avox?" Katniss asks.

She doesn't know what an Avox is? Did she ditch that day of school? Or was she not paying attention?

Haymitch tells Katniss that an Avox is someone who committed a crime. And they cut Avox's tungs out so they can't speak, as punishment. And Effie tells Katniss she is not to speak to an Avox unless to give an order. Then, says it would be almost impossible to know an Avox.

"No. I guess not. I just-" says Katniss.

I have to help her. "Delly Cartwright." I say snapping my fingers. I say some more things to cover for Katniss. I know Delly doesn't look anything like the Avox, she was just the first person I could think of, she was my friend when I was a kid.

"Of course, that's who I was thinking of. It must be the hair." says Katniss.

"Something about the eyes, too." I say.

I ignore the rest of diner. I want to know how Katniss knows and Avox.

"Tomorrow morning is the first day of training sessions. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you to play it. Now go get some sleep while the grownups talk." Haymitch says.

Katniss and I stand up, and walk down the corridor to our rooms. Once we get to Katniss's room, I lean against the frame of her door, trying to get her attention. Katniss looks up. "So, Delly Cartwright. Imagine finding her look alike here." I say, asking for and explanation.

Katniss is quiet. It must be because she's afraid of Capitol cameras. "Have you been to the roof yet?" I ask. Katniss shakes her head. "Cinna showed me. You can practically see the whole city. The wind's a bit loud, though." I say.

"Can we just go up?" Katniss asks.

"Sure, come on." I say.

I lead Katniss up the flight of stairs. We get to the roof and talk for a while. Katniss asks if they're still watching us. "Maybe, come see the garden." I say. There are hundreds of wind chimes so no one could hear us. I look at Katniss. She looks at me and hesitates before she begins to speak.

"We were hiding in the woods one day. Hidden, waiting for game,"

"You and your father?" I ask.

"No. My friend Gale. Suddenly all the birds stopped singing at once. Except one. As if it were giving a warning call. And then I saw her. I'm sure it was the same girl. A boy was with her. Their cloths were tattered. They had dark circles under their eyes from no sleep. They were running as if their lives depended on it." says Katniss.

"The hovercraft appeared out of no where," Katniss says. " I mean, one moment the sky was empty and the next it was there. It didn't make a sound, but they saw it. A net drooped down on the girl and carried her up, fast, so fast like the elevator. They shot some sort of spear through the boy. It was attached to a cable and they hauled him up as well. But I'm certain he was dead. We heard the girl scream once. The boy's name, I think. Then it was gone, the hovercraft, vanished into thin air. And the birds began to sing again, as if nothing had happened."

"Did they see you?" I ask.

"I don't know we were under a shelf of rock,"

"You're shivering." I say. I take my jacket off and wrap it around her shoulders. "They were from here?" I ask. She nods. "Where do you suppose they were going?" I ask.

"I don't know that," says Katniss. "Or why they would leave here."

"I'd leave here." I say loud. I look around. I could have been heard over the wind chimes. "I'd go home now if they let me. But you have to admit, the food's prime."

"It's getting chilly. We better go in." I say. Once we get in, it's warmer. "Your friend, Gale. He's the one who took your sister away at the Reaping?" I ask even though I know.

"Yes. Do you know him?" Kantiss asks.

"Not really. I hear the girls talk about him a lot. I thought he was your cousin or something." I lie. "You favor each other,"

"No. We're not related." Katniss says.

I nod. "Did he come to say goodbye to you?"

"Yes, so did your father. He brought me cookies." she says.

"Really? Well he likes you and your sister. I think he wishes he had a daughter instead of a houseful of boys." I say. "He knew your mother when they were kids."

"Oh, yes. She grew up in town." Katniss says. We're back at Katniss's door, she gives me my jacket back. "See you in the morning then."

"See you." I say and walk into my room. I change my cloths into pajamas and lay down.

Moments later, I fall asleep. I dream about synthetic fire, flaming cake, and wind chimes.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I wake up and sit on my bed for a long time. I'm thinking about how my day would have been if I hadn't been reaped. It's too early for anyone to be up. I've only been asleep for three hours.

I hear someone screaming. A girl screaming. I walk outside of my chambers and to Katniss's door. The screaming is coming from inside. I don't think she's in danger, maybe she's just having a nightmare or something.

I walk back to my chambers and lay on my bed. Katniss is still screaming. I can't do anything to help her, her door is probably locked. I can't fall asleep now, so I just lay on my bed and listen to Katniss's screams with a frown.

After a few hours, Katniss stops screaming. I let out a breath. I didn't sleep while Katniss was screaming. I fall asleep, when I wake up, I take a shower. The showers in the Capitol are wired. They're too complicated with hundreds of buttons.

Once I get out of the shower, I find that someone picked out my cloths, they lay on my bed. I put them on, and go back to the bathroom to check my appearance. I walk to Haymitch's room.

When I get there, I find Haymitch sitting on his bed staring at the wall. I sit down next to him. He turns his head. "What are you doing here, kid?" Haymitch asks.

"I came to see if you were coming down for breakfast." I say.

Haymitch lets out an annoyed breath, then stands up. We walk out to the dinning room. Katniss is already eating. I grab some food and sit down. Today is the first day of training. We get three days to train along side the other tributes. On the third day of training, we get to show the Gamemakers what we can do and they give us a score. The highest score anyone has gotten is a ten.

"So, let's get down to buisness. Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now." Haymitch says.

If we were coached separately, I wouldn't get to see Katniss as much. "Why would you coach us separately?" I ask. Katniss looks at me then back at Haymitch.

"Say you had a secret skill you might not want the other to know about." says Haymitch.

Katniss and I exchange a look. I look back at Haymitch. "I don't have any secret skills." I look at Katniss. "And I already know what yours is right? I mean, I've eaten enough of your squirrels."

"You can coach us together." Katniss says, and I nod.

"All right, so give me ideas of what you can do." says Haymitch.

"I can't do anything, unless you count baking bread." I tell him.

Haymitch shakes his head. "Sorry, I don't. Katniss. I already know your handy with a knife."

"Not really, but I can hunt. With a bow and arrow." says Katniss.

"And you're good?" Haymitch asks.

Katniss hesitates. "I'm alright."

I frown. "She's excellent, my father buys her squirrels. He always comments on how the arrows never pierce the body. She hits everyone in they eye. It's the same with the rabbits she sells the butcher. She can even bring down deer." I say.

"What are you doing?" Katniss looks at me.

"What are you doing? If he's gonna help you, he has to know what your capable of. Don't underrate yourself." I say.

Katniss looks a little angry. "What about you? I've seen you in the market. You can lift hundred-pound bags of flower. Tell him that's not nothing."

"Yes and I'm sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people." I say. "It's not like being able to use a weapon. You know it isn't."

Katniss frowns. "He can wrestle. He came in second in our school competition last year, only after his brother." says Katniss. I'm surprised she remembered that.

"What use is that?" I ask. "How many times have you seen someone wrestle someone to death?"

"There's always hand-to-hand combat. All you need to come up with is a knife, and you'll at least have a chance. If I get jumped, I'm dead." says Katniss.

"But you won't. You'll be living in some tree eating raw squirrels and picking people off with arrows. You know what my mother said when she came to say goodbye, as if to cheer me up, she says maybe District Twelve will finally have a winner. Then I realized, she didn't mean me, she meant you!" I say.

"Oh she meant you." she says.

"She said 'she's a survivor, that one.' She is!" I say.

Katniss takes a roll off her plate. Katniss sound eleven years old when she speaks. "But only because someone helped me." I look at the roll in he hands. She remembered how she through the bread.

I shrug. "People will help you in the arena. They'll be tripping over each other to sponsor you."

Katniss looks up from the roll. "No more than you."

"Well, then. Well, well, well, Katniss, there's no guarantee there'll be bows and arrows in the arena, but during your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then, stay clear of the archery. Are you any good at trapping?" Haymitch asks.

"I know a few basic snares." says Katniss.

Haymitch nods. "That may be significant in terms of food, and Peeta, she's right, never underestimate strength I the arena. Very often, physical power tilts the advantage to a player. In the Training Center they will have weights, but don't revel how much you can lift in front of the other tributes. The planes the same for both of you. You go to group training- spend the time trying to learn somethings you don't know. Throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. Are we clear?" Haymitch asks.

Katniss and I nod.

"One last thing. In public, I want you be each other's side every minute." says Haymitch.

I don't want Katniss with me at training. Watching me mess up on different things. Both of us start to protest but Haymitch slams his hand down on the table. "Every minute! It's not open for discussion! You agreed to do as I said! You will be together, you will appear amiable to each other. Now get out. Meet Effie at the elevator at ten for training."

Katniss bites her lip then walks back to her room. I follow behind Katniss. Once Katniss gets to her room, she walks in and slams the door shut. I chuckle and walk into my room. I lay down and end up falling asleep.

I wake up and see it's almost ten. I walk to the elevator. Katniss isn't here, at least I'm not late. Kantiss walks over to us, biting her finger nails, she realizes it, and stops.

The training rooms are bellow ground level. The training room is a huge gymnasium filled with weapons and obstacle courses. It's not ten yet, but we're the last tributes to arrive. The other tributes stand in a circle. They all have a cloth with their district number pined to the backs of their shirts. Someone pins a '12' to my back.

Katniss and I join the circle and Atala, the head trainer steps into the middle, and explanes the training schedule. We can go to whatever station we want, experts on the skill wait by the station, tributes are not to exchange in any combative exercise with other tributes, we can practice with assistants. Atala reads the list of the skill stations.

When Atala releases us, Katniss stands there. "Where do you want to start?" I ask. I wait a minute for an answer but I don't get one. Does she zone out? I nudge Katniss's arm and she jumps. I stop myself from laughing, because she doesn't seem like the kind of girl who takes people laughing at her very well. "Where would you like to start?" I ask again.

Katniss looks around the Training Center. "Suppose we tie some knots." Katniss says.

"Right you are." I say.

We walk to the Knot Tying Station. No one else is here, the trainer seems pleased he has students. When the trainer finds out that Katniss knows how to do snares, he shows us a knot that leaves another tribute dangling from a tree. I don't pay attention.

We both work on the trap although I don't think I'll be using it in the arena. I wont go to the Cornucopia, so I can't get rope, unless I steal some, or sponsors send me some. We master the trap, and I pick out the next station. Camouflage. You use mud or berry juice on your bare skin to help you blend into the earth. This is something I could do in the arena. Katniss watches other tributes, she must not be interested at all.

"I do the cakes." I tell Katniss.

She turns to me. "The cakes? What cakes?"

I frown. "At home. The iced ones, for the bakery."

Katniss looks at my camouflage arm. "It's lovely. If only you could frost someone to death."

"Don't be superior. You can never tell what you'll find in the arena. Say it's actually a gigantic cake-" I begin.

"Say we move on." Katniss says.

I nod.

For the next three days, Katniss and I go quietly from station to station. The Gamemakers watch us and take notes. We eat breakfast and dinner on our floor, but at lunch, all twenty four of us tributes eat in a cafeteria together. Katniss and I sit alone, and try to keep up a friendly conversation.

It seems like the little girl from District Eleven is following us. I think her name is Rue. I honestly didn't notice her until today.

Today, we wait to be called into the main training room for private training sessions. They call each tribute out, one by one, because we're from District Twelve, we have to go last. Once Rue is called, Katniss and I are alone. Ten minutes later, they call me.

"Remember what Haymitch said about being sure to throw the weights." says Katniss.

"Thanks. I will. You... shoot straight." I say, Katniss nods and I walk into the main training center. Shoot straight? Your usually better with words then that.

The Gamemakers sit in their seats, but they look board. I throw the weights around. The Gamemakers don't pay attention. I don't care what score I get. I don't want to win. Katniss has to win. And if she doesn't, I don't want to go back to District Twelve, where I will be reminded of Katniss.

The Gamemakers excuse me, and I head to my floor. Once I get there, I sit on the sofa. Haymitch, Cinna, Effie, and Portia sit with me as we wait for Katniss. Eventually, we hear the elevator doors open. I turn around on the sofa just in time to see Katniss storm right past us, and slam her door shut.

"Oh, dear." Effie says.

Haymitch stands up and walk to Katniss's room and starts knocking on the door. Effie and I approch Haymitch.

"What happened, Katniss?" Effie asks.

Katniss shouts for us to go away.

Effie and Haymitch start to walk away. I look at the door. I reach up and touch the door nob. Then I walk back into the sitting room.

We watch TV but all I can do is wonder what Katniss did, and why she was so upset.

"I should ask Katniss if she wants to come to diner." says Effie.

"Don't ask her. Tell her, she can't be missing meals." says Haymitch.

Effie nods and walks to Katniss's room.

Moments later, Effie comes back. We walk to the dining room, and take our seats.

"Where's Katniss?" asks Haymitch.

"I told her diner, was ready, if she doesn't want to come, she doesn't have to." says Effie.

Haymitch opens his mouth, but closes it as Katniss walks in. She sits at the table and avoids eye contact with everyone. The adults start talking, but I don't pay attention.

Katniss finally looks up at me. I raise my eyebrows, as if I'm asking what happened. Katniss shakes her head, and I let out a breath. How could I ever get her to have feelings for me? It wont mater soon, anyway. I'll be dead.

The Avoxes start serving the main course.

"Okay, enough small talk, just how bad were you today?" Haymitch asks.

"I don't know that it mattered," I say. "By the time I even showed up, no one even bothered to look at me. They were singing some kind of drinking song, I think. So, I threw around some heavy objects until they told me I could go."

Katniss looks up from her food and smiles.

"And you sweetheart?" Haymitch asks. Katniss smile is replace with a scowl.

"I shot and arrow at the Gamemakers." says Katniss.

Everyone looks at Katniss. "You what?" asks Effie.

"I shot and arrow at them. Not exactly at them. In their direction. It's like Peeta said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I was just, I just lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth." says Katniss.

"And what did they say?" Cinna asks.

"Nothing. Or don't know. I walked out after that." says Katniss.

"Without being dismissed?" Effie asks.

"I dismissed myself." says Katniss.

"Well that's that." Haymitch says, buttering his roll.

I roll my eyes. No one at this table cares if we live of if we die. They're just hear because they have to be.

"Do you think they'll arrest me?" asks Katniss.

"Doubt it. Be a pain to replace you at this stage." says Haymitch.

"What about my family, will they punish them?" she asks.

Haymitch explanes that it wouldn't make sense to punish Katniss's family because to do that, they would have to announce what happened at private training sessions, and they wouldn't do that. I nod.

"More likely, they'll make your life hell in the arena." Haymitch adds.

I frown, why can't Haymitch shut up? "Well, they already promised to do that anyway." I say.

"Very true." says Haymitch. "What were there faces like?" Haymitch asks.

Katniss laughs. "Shocked. Terrified. Uh, ridiculous, some of them." she says. "One man tripped backward into a bowl of punch."

Everyone starts laughing except Effie, but she is smiling. "Well, it serves them right. It's there job to pay attention to you. And just because you come from District Twelve is not excuse to ignore you." says Effie. "I'm sorry, that's what I think." she adds.

Katniss smiles at Effie. "I'll get a bad score." says Katniss.

"Scores only matter if there good, no one pays attention to the bad or mediocre ones. For all they know, you could be hiding your talents to get a low score on purpose. People use that strategy." says Portia.

"I hope that's how people interpret the four I'll probably get. If that. Really, is anything less impressive than watching a person pick up a heavy ball and throw it couple yards. One almost landed on my feet." I say, hoping for a smile from Katniss. Instead, she grins. Then, Katniss looks back down at her food and eats again.

After we're all finished eating, we go to the sitting room to watch the scores on television. They show a picture of the tribute first, then the score appears below it. The career tributes usually get the minimum of eight as their score. Most of the other tributes get a five. I get an eight. Katniss's face appears on the screen and under flashes the number eleven.

We all start congratulating Katniss. No one has got an eleven before.

"There must be a mistake. How could that happen?" Katniss asks.

"Guess they liked your temper, they've got a show to put on. They need some players with some heat." says Haymitch.

Cinna grins. "Katniss, the girl who was on fire." he says hugging her. "Oh wait until you see your interview dress."

"More flames?" Katniss asks.

"Of a sort." says Cinna.

A few hours later I wonder what life with Katniss would be like. I would bake, she would hunt. But the thoughts only make me upset. This won't ever happen, I'm going into The Hunger Games. I frown and thing about what the future holds.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I open my eyes. I hate that I don't have anything to do. The interviews are tomorrow night. I start to think more about what would happen in the Games, if Katniss and I were friends. And what if the last two tributes just so happen to be me and her? Then Katniss might hesitate to kill me. And then does something stupid. My only option to ensure that doesn't happen, is to make sure Katniss doesn't see me as her friend. To do that, I'll have to be her competition.

I get up and walk to the dinning room, there, Haymitch sits at the table. "Haymitch," I say. "I'd like to be coached alone from now on." I say.

He shrugs. "I knew it would happen at some point, care to tell me why now?" So I tell him my thoughts.

Effie comes in. "Oh. Hello. I didn't realize you two were up so early." says Effie.

"Peeta wants to be coached alone." he tells her.

"Oh. Very well then." she says.

Minutes later, Katniss comes out and gets her food. She eats some and looks up at us. "So, what's going on? You're coaching us on interviews today, right?" she asks.

"That's right." says Haymitch.

"You don't have to wait until I'm done. I can listen and eat at the same time," says Katniss.

"Well, there's been a change of plans. About our current approach." says Haymitch.

"What's that?" Katniss asks. I look at my shoes.

"Peeta has asked to be coached separately." Haymitch tells her.

Katniss is quiet for a moment. "Good," says Katniss. "So what's the schedule?"

I zone out the rest of the conversation. I feel tears threatening to spill. I hold them back. I won't let myself cry in front of Katniss.

Haymitch touches my shoulder. I look up. "Not the reaction you'd wanted from her?"

"It's what I expected." I say. "You don't understand."

Haymitch looks around. "Come now, kid, let's talk about this somewhere else." I follow Haymitch back to my room. We both sit down.

"You have feelings for Katniss, don't you?" he asks me.

I nod. "What made you guess?"

Haymitch laughs. "The way you look at her. The way your doing everything you can to help Katniss come home."

"Everyone tells me my feelings for he are obvious. But Katniss is completely oblivious to it all. I wish she knew."

"She'll take a lot of convincing to believe you." says Haymitch.

"I wish everyone knew." I confess. "Would saying I liked her during my interview be bad for her?" I ask.

I'm now getting a lecture from Effie. About how to present myself in front of the audience. I don't pay attention to a single word she says. I know how I want to present myself anyway.

Haymitch helped me. Told me how I should announce my love for Katniss to the whole world. I think this would win Katniss some more sponsors. I have to do this for Katniss. I'm only wondering how I could fit the confession into a three minute interview.

Effie's time is soon up, and it's time for diner. I'm soo excited to see Katniss I almost sprint to the dining room. Once I get there, I find Haymitch, but not Katniss. I frown and sit down. After minutes of meaningless chatter, I ask the question. "Where's Katniss."

Haymitch smirks at me. "She got frustrated, she said she wasn't coming down for diner, and I'm glad. That girl has no personality."

I finish my food without talking again. Then, I excuse myself, and walk slowly to my room. As I pass Katniss's room, I hear glass shatter. I stop and walk to her door to hear better.

More glass busts. The redheaded Avox that Katniss told me about walks down the hall. She frowns as more glass breaks. She motions toward the door. Asking me what's going on in there. I shrug, suddenly unable to speak.

The Avox runs her hands over her face and walks in. I go to my room and take a shower. I know I'll get cleaned off tomorrow, when I'm preped for my interview. So, I stand under the water for a while. When my knees get tired, I sit down and let the water pours on my head. I get lost in thought. I consider why Katniss was breaking things, and blame it on Haymitch.

I've been in love with Katniss since I was five years old. I'll love her until the day I die.

I cry a little, and turn the water off. I dry myself and put my night cloths on. I lay in my bed and fall asleep soon after.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I wake up to find my prep team hovering over me, which makes me jump. I rub my eyes. "You could have woken me up, you didn't have to watch me sleep." I tell them.

"We thought you'd like to wake up by yourself. You won't get to do that tomorrow. Unless you wake up really early." says one of them. The prep team clean me off, and soon, I'm being prepared by Portia.

All too soon, I'm with the other tributes, about to take the stage. We take our seats and the interviews begin. I take a quick look at Katniss, I hadn't allowed myself to look at her yet, I was afraid it would be too hard to look away.

Once Katniss is next to Caesar Flickerman, for her interview I give her my full attention.

"So Katniss, the Capitol must be quite a change from District Twelve. What impressed you the most since you arrived here?" asks Caesar.

"The lamb stew," says Katniss.

Caesar laughs, and some of the audience laugh too.

"The one with the dried plumbs?" he asks, and Katniss nods. "Oh, I eat it by the bucketful." he turns sideways with his hand on his stomach. "It doesn't show does it?" The crowd reassures him.

"Now, Katniss, when you came out in the Opening Ceremonies, my heart stopped. What did you think of that costume?" he asks.

"You mean after I got over the fear of being burned alive?" Katniss asks.

The crowed laughs. "Yes. Start then," says Caesar.

"I thought Cinna was brilliant and it was the most gorgeous costume I'd ever seen and I couldn't believe I was wearing it. I can't believe I'm wearing this either." she says. "I mean look at it." I quickly examine the dress and agree, Cinna did an amazing job. Katniss stands up and spins in a circle once.

"Oh, do that again!" says Caesar. Katniss lifts her arms and spins around several times.

The dress engulfs Katniss in flames. She is the girl on fire.

Katniss stops spinning and the fire goes out. Katniss clutches Caesar's arm. "Don't stop." he says.

"I have to. I'm dizzy." she says giggling. Katniss is off balance. Caesar wraps his arm around Katniss, steading her.

"Don't worry. I've got you. Can't have you following in your mentor's footsteps." he says, referring to when Haymitch fell off the stage at the Reaping. I laugh quietly as the cameras find Haymitch, and the crowd applauds for him. Haymitch waves the camera away, directing everyone's attention back to Katniss.

"It's all right, she's safe with me. So, how about that training score. E-le-ven. Give us a hint what happened in there." says Caesar.

Katniss glances toward the Gamemakers and bites her lip. "Um... all I can say, is I think it was a first." I think so too.

"You're killing us." says Caesar dramatically. "Details. Details."

Katniss frowns. "I'm not supposed to talk about it right?" Katniss asks the Gamemakers.

"She's not!" shouts one Gamemaker.

"Thank you. Sorry my lips are sealed." she says.

Caesar nods. "Let's go back then, to the moment they called your sister's name at the Reaping. And you volunteered. Can you tell us about her?"

Katniss hesitates. "Her names's Prim. She's just twelve. And I love her more than anything."

"What did she says to you? After the Reaping?" Caesar asks.

"She asked me to try really hard to win." answers Katniss.

"And what did you say?" Caesar asks.

"I swore I would." she says.

"I bet you did," says Caesar. The buzzer goes off. "Sorry we're out of time. Best of luck, Katniss Everdeen, tribute from District Twelve."

Katniss takes her seat and the applause is still going strong. I grin, Katniss should have good sponsors.

Caesar announces me and I come to the front of the stage. I decide to try something, I start comparing tributes to bread. I leave out Katniss, not wanting to offend her. I talk about how the showers in the Capitol are dangerous, you never are sure what button to press. Then, I ask Caesar if I smell like roses. He sniffs me, and asks me to sniff him. So I do. The audience seemed quiet amused.

Caesar catches me off guard, and asks if I have a girlfriend back home. I had forgotten Haymitch and my idea, to admit my feelings for Katniss, now's my chance. I shake my head no.

"Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl. Come on, what's her name?" asks Caesar.

I sigh. "Well, there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the Reaping."

"She have another fellow?" asks Caesar.

I frown, thinking of Gale. "I don't know, but a lot of boys like her." Most of the boys at my school have like Katniss for a while.

"So, here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you down, eh?" says Caesar.

"I don't think it's going to work out." I say honestly. "Winning won't help in my case."

"Why ever not?" asks Caesar.

I feel my face heat up. "Because." I can't do it. But I have to do it now. "Because." I try again. "She came here with me."

I stare at my shoes. Everyone in Panem knows about my feelings for Katniss. I look up at the screens, there broadcasting Katniss on the screens. She presses her lips together and looks down. She's probably embarrassed too.

I sigh as the screen switches back to Caesar. I run my fingers through my hair. "Oh, that's a piece of bad luck," says Caesar.

I nod. "It's not good."

"Well, I don't think any of us can blame you. It'd be hard for me not to fall for that young lady." says Caesar. "She didn't know?"

I shake my head. "Not until now." They put Katniss back up to the screens. She's blushing.

"Wouldn't you love to pull her back out here and get a response?" Caesar asks the crowed. I look back at Katniss, who now looks panicked. The crowd screams. "Sadly, rules are rules, and Katniss Everdeen's time has been spent." K atniss relaxes, and I look back into the crowd.

"Well, best of luck to you Peeta Mellark, and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go with yours." says Caesar. The crowed roars. Once the crowed quiets, I mutter a quick "Thank you," and return to my seat.

We stand for the anthem. All of the screens have shots of both Katniss, and myself. After the anthem, we all head back to the Training Center lobby, and the elevators. I get into the elevator and ride it up the the twelfth floor, I step out of the elevator.

I feel something being slammed into my chest. I lose my balance and fall into an urn filled with fake flowers. Once I hit the ground, pain slices through me. I look up. Before me stands the girl I've been in love with since I was five.

"What was that for?" I ask.

Katniss glares at me. "You had no right! No right to go saying those things about me!"

The elevator doors open, and everyone stands there shocked.

"What's going on? Did you fall?" Effie asks.

"After she shoved me," I say. Effie and Cinna help me up.

Haymitch explains how this will help Katniss, and eventually she seems less angry. But she still looks furious.

"I should have been told so I didn't look stupid." says Katniss.

"No, your reaction was perfect. If you'd known, it wouldn't have read as real." says Portia.

"She's just worried about her boyfriend." I say bitterly.

Katniss gets angry again. "I don't have a boyfriend."

"Whatever." I say. "But I bet he's smart enough to know a bluff when he sees it. Besides you didn't say you loved me. So what does it matter?"

Katniss face softens. "After he said he loved me, did you think I could be in love with him too." she asks.

"I did, the way you avoided looking at the cameras, the blush." says Portia. Others reassure Katniss.

"You're golden sweetheart. You're going to have sponsor lined up around the block." says Haymitch.

"I'm sorry I shoved you." Katniss says.

I look at her and forgive her instantly. "Doesn't matter. Although it's technically illegal."

"Are your hands okay." she asks.

"They'll be all right."

We go to the dinning room, but I'm bleeding too much. Portia takes me to my room and cleans me off. Once we're all done eating dinner we watch the interview replay.

Katniss doesn't seem to like how acted during her interview. We all assure her that she did fine. Once the TV goes black, Effie takes both Katniss and I by the hand and wishes us good luck. She won't come with us to be launched into the arena, neither will Haymitch. This is goodbye.

"I wouldn't be at all surprised if I finally get promoted to a decent district next year!" Effie says, ruining her goodbye. She kisses both of us on the check, and runs out of the room. I roll my eyes and look at Haymitch.

"Any final words of advice?" I ask.

"When the gong sounds, get the hell out of there. You're neither of you to go to the blood bath at the Cornucopia. Just clear out, put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, and find a source of water," says Haymitch. "Got it?"

Katniss looks up. "And after that?" she asks quietly.

"Stay alive." he says. This is the advice he gave us back on the train, when he was drunk.

Last time, I felt anger at these words, but now, they just make my stomach hurt. Katniss and I nod. Portia walks to me and says her goodbyes. I watch Katniss walk away. She isn't going to say goodbye to me. This could be the last time I see her. I won't get to talk to her ever again.

I end the goodbye quickly, because I'll see Portia tomorrow, when she preps me for the Games. I go down the hall, Katniss's door is closed. I shut my door and through myself onto the bed. I don't think I'll be able to sleep well tonight.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It's been an hour. I still can't sleep. I stand up and walk to the bathroom. I stand up and walk to the bathroom. I stare at my reflection. She couldn't love me. I slam my hands down on the counter top. I wince as my hands turn bloody again.

I turn on the shower. I stand under the water, wondering how far into the Games I'll make it. I think a lot of Capitol people are routing for me now. Because I made the Games interesting.

I turn the water off and dry myself off and get into my pajamas. I lay down. I listen to the sound of a crowd cheering outside. I think being here in the Capitol has made me dislike them.

I can't sleep. I sit up and let out a frustrated breath. Maybe some fresh air will help. I walk to the roof top and open the door, I leave the door open slightly, because I wouldn't want to get locked out here. I sit down. The Capitol people still cheer. They must be throwing a party. There celebrating the death of twenty three young lives.

I stare out into the sky and wonder what's going on in District Twelve. If my mother is at least a little upset that one of her sons could die tomorrow.

I stare at the moon and wonder if it's the same moon as back in District Twelve.

"You should be getting some sleep." says Katniss.

I shake my head. "I didn't want to miss the party. It's for us after all." I say without turning to look at her.

Katniss walks to me. I watch her as she squints. "Are they in costumes?"

I grin. "Who could tell? With all the crazy cloths they wear here." I say. "Couldn't sleep either?"

"Couldn't turn my mind off," she says.

"Thinking about your family?" I ask.

"No, all I can do is wonder about tomorrow. Which is point less, of course." Katniss turns to face me and sighs. "I really am sorry about your hands."

I shake my head. "It doesn't matter, Katniss. I've never been a contender in these Games anyway." I say.

Katniss frowns. "That's no way to be thinking."

"Why not? It's true. My best hope is to not disgrace myself and," I hesitate. Should I tell her what I've been thinking.

"And what?" she asks.

"I don't know how to say it exactly. Only I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?" I ask. Katniss shakes her head. "I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not."

Katniss bites her lip. "Do you mean you won't kill anyone?"

"No, when the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else. I can't go down without a fight. Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games."

"But your not, none of us are. That's how the Games work." says Katniss.

"Okay, but within the frame work, there's still you, there's still me. Don't you see?" I ask.

Katniss nods. "A little. Only... no offense, but who cares, Peeta?"

My face heats up. "I do. I mean, what else am I allowed to care about at this point?"

Katniss steps back, trying to get farther away from me. "Care about what Haymitch said. About staying alive."

I smile at Katniss mockingly. "Okay. Thanks for the tip sweetheart."

Katniss raises her eyebrow. "Look, if you want to spend the last hours of your life planning some noble death in the the arena, that's your choice. I want to spend mine in District Twelve."

"Wouldn't surprise me if you do. Give my mother my best when you make it back, will you?" I ask, not sure if she knows how my mother treats me.

"Count on it," she says, then turns and leaves.

I leave the roof before I fall asleep outside. I pace around my room. I still don't think I'll be able to fall asleep. I force myself to lay down, and finally get some sleep.

Portia gives me some cloths to wear, the next morning. I will be prepared under the catacombs of the arena. A hovercraft appears, a ladder is dropped down from it. I grab onto the ladder and I'm frozen. I can't move at all. I'm lifted inside the hovercraft. A man in a white coat approaches me. "This is your tracker, stay still so I can place it correctly." says the man. Stay still? I'm frozen in place.

I watch as the man takes out a syringe. He inserts it into me, and the ladder releases me. And Portia is retrieved from the roof. I eat breakfast with Portia. The hovercraft lands and we go back down the ladder into the catacombs.

We follow instructions to a chamber for my preparations. The Capitol calls it a Launch Room. Everything in this Launch Room is brand new. I'll be the only tribute to use this Launch Room. I'm cleaned off, and Portia helps me into the cloths.

"Does everything feel comfortable?" Portia asks me.

"Yes."

We sit on the sofa and wait for my call.

I could be dead in less than an hour. Eventually a female voice announces it's time to prepare for launch.

I stand up and hug Portia. "Good luck, Peeta."

I walk over and stand on the circular metal plate. A glass cylinder lowers around me. I begin to rise into the arena. I'm pushed out into the open air. I ignore my instinct to step forward. If you step off the metal plate before the Games begin, you'll be blown up.

Claudius Templesmith, the legendary announcers voice booms all around me. "Ladies and gentleman, let the seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!"

And from their we're given sixty seconds. One minute before the gong rings and the nightmare begins.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

We're all in a circle, all equal distance from the Cornucopia. Inside the Cornucopia are the things that would help keep us alive in this arena.

I look around at the other tributes. It's wired knowing one of them will be my killer. But I'm looking for on tribute in particular. Finally I see the Katniss, she looks like she's gonna lunge forward once the gong sounds. I shake my head and hope that Katniss will take my advice. The gong rings.

I turn quickly towards the woods and run, as fast as I can. Once I'm safely hidden in the trees, or at least, I hope that I'm hidden. I watch the Cornucopia. I can't see Katniss from here, so hopefully if she went to the Cornucopia, she made it out unharmed.

I turn slowly and walk further into the woods. I just walk unsure were I'm going. The first cannon goes off. In The Hunger Games, this sound represents a tribute's death. On the first day of the Games, the wait until the blood bath is over to start the cannons. They also wait until every living tribute is away from the Cornucopia, so they can collect the bodies. Eleven cannons go off, that means there are only thirteen tributes left.

I look up at the trees and try to see if Katniss is up there, just so I know she's still alive. I sigh, she will be high up in those trees, I couldn't see her from down here. I feel like someone is watching me though.

A sword drags on the ground behind me. Prepared to die any second, I don't turn around. Then they'd see how terrified I must look. I hear a female snicker. They aren't gonna kill me unless I look at them. I roll my eyes, put on a brave face and turn around.

The carriers stand in front of me. I see the girl from District Two lift one of her many knifes. I get an idea. "Wait." I say quickly before she throws the knife. "I can help you find her." I add hoping they hadn't already killed her, and I'm still useful to them. The girl from Two looks at the boy from her district.

"Are you good with a weapon." he says.

I nod. "I'm okay with a knife, and I know where Katniss would go." I say.

I watch as the boy from District One rubs his hands together.

"Are you sure you know where she would go?" the boy from Two asks.

"Yeah, she told me all her strategies." I lie.

He nods. "Fine, three days, if we don't find her in tree days or less we kill you."

The girl from District One grins and yells as loud as possible. "We're gonna catch us a girl on fire!"

The boy from One throws his head back and put his hands to his mouth. "You better look out girl on fire! We're coming for you."

I roll my eyes and try to keep up with the careers as they run through the woods. I cut my arm on a twig. The carriers introduce themselves. The boy from District One is Marvel. The girl from One is Glimmer. The girl from Two is Clove. And the boy from Two is Cato.

After nightfall, the anthem begins. Then, the death recaps start. The Gamemakers have a hovercraft with a screen and they project the faces of the tributes who have died that day.

First is the girl from District Three. Next is the boy from District Four. Cato laughs. "He was fun to kill." The boy from District Five appears. Both tributes from Six and Seven appear. The boy from District Eight. And both tributes from Nine. And then, the girl from District Ten.

Cato gets our attention. "Okay, lets put that girl on fire into tomorrow's death recaps."

We come upon the girl from District Four. Clove and Glimmer welcome her right into the alliance. She doesn't talk. I don't even know her name. I remember she talked at her interview. But now, it's like she's traumatised. She's a quiet as the Avoxes back in the Capitol.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

We walk through the woods for a few hours. "I'm tired!" wines Glimmer.

Marvel yawns. "Yeah. We should call it a night."

Cato nods. "Fine, but you all wake up when I say so."

Clove throws herself into the dirt.

No one takes watch, and that seems dangerous. So I stay up, prepared to run at any moment. I'd leave the carriers if I were in danger. I'm not afraid of any of the non carriers, except Thresh, and maybe Katniss.

Thresh is the male tribute from District Eleven. Even if he was weaponless, I think he could kill all of us, just with his hands. And Katniss, I'm pretty sure she went to the Cornucopia, and I know she could do damage with any weapon, even if she didn't get the bow and arrows.

Hours go by. Cato sits up, and notices me. "What are you doing awake?" he asks.

"I was taking guard." I tell him.

"Why?" he asks.

"Thresh," I say.

Cato nods. "We should be more careful, your right."

I yawn. Cato gives me a bandage for my cut, and shakes everyone awake.

Marvel looks around and grins. "Check it out, smoke." he says pointing.

It's dawn, it's still dark outside, but I can still see the smoke clearly. Then, we're running toward the smoke. I trip over a log. Everyone stops, I stand up quickly and everyone starts running again.

We see the girl, curled up by the fire. She looks peaceful. Clove laughs. The girl jumps up looking panicked. They step closer to her, weapons drawn. I step forward too, and notice pain in my leg. I must have hurt myself when I tripped.

The girl starts pleading, almost like I did. But she doesn't have anything to offer the carriers. Cato stabs the girl with his sword, she screams in pain. She falls down once Cato pulls the sword out.

"Nicely done, Cato." says Clove. Marvel and Glimmer congratulate him as well. The girl from District Four stays silent. We walk off to a clearing. We stand in silence, waiting for the girls cannon.

"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?" Glimmer asks.

"I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately." says Clove.

"Unless she isn't dead." says Marvel.

"She's dead. I stuck her myself." says Cato.

"Then where's the cannon?" asks Marvel.

"Someone should go back. Make sure the jobs done." says Clove.

"Yeah, we don't want to track her down twice." says Glimmer.

"I said she's dead!" Yells Cato. Everyone starts arguing.

"We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and let's move on!" I say.

Something rustles in a tree near us.

"Go on, then, Lover Boy, see for yourself." says Cato.

I walk back in the direction of the girl. When I get to the spot, the girl still lays there. She must have been knocked unconscious from blood loss, or too much pain. Pain, Peeta, she's in pain, and you'd be helping her if you killed her. She wont survive this wound.

I take a deep breath and stab the girl with my knife. I stab as deep as I can, to make sure I didn't just cause her more pain. I check her heartbeat. It's slowing. I walk back to the clearing.

"Was she dead?" asks Cato.

I shake my head. "No. But she is now." A cannon sounds. I swallow my spit. I just killed someone. "Ready to move on?"

We walk away and find a place to camp for the night. Everyone lays down and falls asleep. I thought Cato said we'd be more careful. I sigh and sit down. I didn't get any sleep before. I don't care if we're attacked anymore. When I die, Katniss is closer to her victory. Closer to District Twelve.

I smile and fall asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Cato shakes me awake. I open my eyes and sit up. "A fire started." says Cato. I look around and find smoke coming toward us, everyone else is awake. We watch the smoke, waiting to see if the fire will be a threat to us. Eventually the fire goes out, all together.

"That wasn't a natural fire." says Clove. Cato nods.

"The Gamemakers must have made it. To kill at tribute." I say.

"Yes, but there wasn't a cannon," says Marvel.

"Come on, whoever the fire was for must be injured. Be an easy kill." says Cato.

The smoke begins to clear as we walk through the woods. After walking for about an hour, Clove stops. "Look who's in the pond," We turn our heads, I find the dark hair instantly.

We start running toward the pond as Katniss's head shoots up. She pulls herself out of the water as we chase her. I'm not sure what I'll do if we catch her. Actually I do. I'd protect her as well as I can. The carriers and I, get closer to Katniss, so she climbs a tree. We reach the tree, and I hope the carriers don't try any of the many ways to get her down.

"How's everything with you?" Katniss calls down, almost cheerfully.

We all stare up at Katniss in shock. "Well enough yourself?" asks Cato.

"It's been a bit warm for my taste." says Katniss. "The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?"

"Think I will." says Cato. Glimmer offers Cato her bow and arrows. Cato declines the offer. Cato starts to climb the tree, he gets several feet off the ground but the branch snaps, and Cato falls. He gets up and starts swearing. Glimmer tries to climb the tree, until the branches begin to crack, she stops and comes down.

Now I'm wondering how Katniss could have climbed this tree. She would have to be very light. I sigh remembering Katniss hadn't had a full meal until the Reaping.

Glimmer shoots a few arrows up at the tree. Katniss takes one arrow out of the tree near her and waves it teasingly above us. Everyone starts arguing with each other as I watch Katniss. I have to save her. Or at least try.

"Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning." I say.

We begin to set up for the night, and Katniss does the same up in that tree. I stare into the tree and fall asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I'm woken when I feel sharp pain spreading through my body. My eyes open, expecting the carriers have turned on me, since they practically have Katniss. But instead, I find insects everywhere. Tracker Jackers.

A Tracker Jacker is like a wasp except the Capitol genetically altered them to make them more deadly. When stung, the venom will cause you to hallucinate and if your stung too many times, you will die.

I pull myself to my feet, and run to the lake, with Cato, Clove, and Marvel at my side. I notice Glimmer and the girl from Four aren't with us. They're probably dead, or hallucinating through a long, painful death.

Marvel stops running. "Where are the girls?"

The rest of us stop running. "This is Katniss's fault." Cato yells and runs back to the sight. The rest of us follow. I get a head of the others. I position my spear. The Tracker Jackers are gone. I find Katniss with Glimmer's bow and arrows. I put the spear down to my side. The other carriers are far behind me.

"What are you still doing here?" I hiss. "Are you mad? Get up! Get up!" I yell and push Katniss away from me. She needs to go before they catch up with me and kill both of us. "Run!" I scream. "Run!"

Cato makes his way over. I try to keep my balance. I watch as Katniss starts to run. Cato runs past me, he's after Katniss. I take the spear and stab Cato's arm.

"I knew it!" Cato screams. "Your a traitor!" Cato slashes me with his sword, just as the other carriers see us.

"Cato, what happened?" Clove asks.

"He's a traitor, he was protecting her!" says Cato. "That's why we haven't killed her yet. Peeta was leading us away from her the whole time!"

Clove screams and runs towards me. Cato grabs Clove's wrist, pulling her to a stop. "No, I stabbed him with my sword. He will die. He betrayed us, he deserves to die slow and painfully."

Clove crosses her arms.

"I agree." says Marvel.

Clove sighs. "I guess."

I watch as they stagger towards the lake, the opposite direction Katniss went. I wince. The cut hurts, more than my mother ever hurt me, and I think that says a lot. At least Katniss is safe.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I watch a spider make it's web. I need to find a place to hide. Before I start hallucinating. I crawl, unable to stand. My movements bring pain. I focus on crawling, I need to keep moving.

Eventually I find a river. There's mud. I grab a handful of the mud, and start covering myself with it. I may be able to disguise myself. Once I'm satisfied camouflaging myself, I lay down and close my eyes.

Something hisses at me. I open my eyes, and notice my vision isn't normal. Everything seems kind of shiny. I find the spider from earlier, except it's gigantic. I look around wildly, searching for this spider's web. I find it. Trapped in the web are my dad, Rye, Graham, Delly, and Katniss. The spider crawls to the web, it wrapes Delly in it's silk as Delly screams. Then it begins to eat her. I try to look away, but I can't move. After the spider is done devouring my childhood friend, it crawls away.

I close my eyes again and try to relax. It was just a hallucination. I tell myself. From the Tracker Jacker stings. I stare at the sun and watch it move across the sky. I fall asleep.

I stir at the sound of footsteps. I open my eyes to find the spider back. It's staring right at me. It approaches the web and this time eats Graham. Like last time, I can't look away. The spider finishes and crawls away. The spider isn't a hallucination. It couldn't be. Watching my brother get killed. It's too real to be fake. And that means now, both Delly and Graham are dead. And I didn't do anything to help them.

The next time I wake up, the spider picks Rye. I try to stand up, to do anything to save my brother. But it's like I'm frozen in place. I'm helpless.

Once the spider leaves, I promise myself not to fall asleep. Because whenever I do, the spider comes back. But my leg hurts soo much, it would be easier to fall asleep. I give into the temptation and close my eyes.

But the second my eyes close, I hear the twig snap, and my eyes are forced open, and the spider is back. My father. This time it's my father. And now all that's left is Katniss. I can't fall asleep again. I watch the sun set, and then rise, and then set again. Sunsets are pretty.

My eyelids are heavy now. And I need sleep. I let myself drift off.

I open my eyes, what a pretty spider. I think to myself. I start to sweat as I remember what happens when I see this spider. I plead for the spider to let her go. The spider approaches Katniss. I beg for the spider to take me instead. But the spider is hungry. So, it rips Katniss's head off.

"Attention tributes!" The spider, and Katniss disappear. "I'd like to congratulate you, for surviving this far into the Games." The Games. I'm in The Hunger Games. The spider was a hallucination from the Tracker Jackers. And this voice is the announcer for The Hunger Games, Claudius Templesmith.

"There has been a rule change for this Hunger Games. If the two last tributes are from the same district, then they will both be crowned victor." says Claudius. As Claudius repeats this announcement, I wonder how long I have been hallucinating for. I wonder who died while I was unconscious.

Is Katniss still alive? And if she is, will she come looking for me with this new rule change? Or course she wouldn't . She thought I was trying to kill her. She thought I was a carrier. But maybe she remembers how I told her to run. From Cato.

My leg still hurts. I never looked at it. But I can tell it's bad. I'm still covered in dirt. Right now, my only hope is that Katniss would come to me and we could find a way to win together. But even though the Games have been changed. I know Katniss won't come.

So that leaves me with no hope.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The night goes bye, there's no hope that Katniss will come. Suddenly I'm thirsty. I haven't drank anything in, what I'm guessing is days. I try to move toward the river, but I can't it's just like the hallucination. I'm soo weak right now, I can't move.

I try to move but there's too much mud and leaves on me. I guess now I'll starve to death, covered in mud. At least I'll be out of pain soon.

The sun rises, I don't want to sleep though. I'm still not sure if the spider will come again. I watch the sun move like I did in my hallucinations. I hear footsteps, so I close my eyes, hoping I camouflaged myself well. I open one of my eyes, just to see who's here. Katniss. She's walking through the stream. That's a lot smarter than crawling through the mud.

She looks like she's looking for someone. I decide she's looking for me. Either to make an alliance, or to kill me. The second choice is more likely. I close my eyes, and hear Katniss come closer.

"Peeta, Peeta." Katniss whispers. She's is looking for me. I decide she's here to kill me. Rule change of not. She wouldn't want me for an ally. A bird starts mimicking Katniss, and I hear her sigh. Katniss moves out of the river. I know she's close, so I give myself away.

"You here to finish me off, sweetheart?" I ask.

I hear Katniss move quickly. "Peeta? Where are you?"

I decide to mess with her, and don't reply. Katniss steps closer to me. "Peeta?" I feel her foot on my chest.

"Well, don't step on me." I say. And Katniss steps away. Katniss is quiet probably confused. So I open my eyes. Katniss is right in front of me, her eyes widen and she gasps. So I laugh.

"Close your eyes again," orders Katniss. So I stop laughing and close my eyes. Katniss kneels beside me. "I guess all those hours decorating cakes paid off."

I keep my eyes closed, but smile. "Yes, frosting. The final defense of the dying."

"Your not going to die." says Katniss.

"Says who?" I ask.

"Says me. We're on the same team now, you know." she tells me.

I could tell her I don't want to be on her team. But I do. And the rule change states that we can both win. "So I heard. Nice of you to find what's left of me." I say.

Katniss pulls a water bottle out and offers me a drink. "Did Cato cut you?" she asks.

"Left leg. Up high." I wince thinking about it.

"Let's get you to the stream, wash you off, so I can see what kind of wounds you've got." she says.

"Lean down a minute first, need to tell you something." I say, words forming in my head. Katniss leans down. "Remember, we're still madly in love, so it's all right to kiss me anytime you feel like it." Katniss jerks her head away from me and starts laughing. Did I actually say that?

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." she says.

Katniss tries to help me up and it's useless. Katniss then, tries to drag me and I try my best to keep myself from crying out. It hurts too much. Katniss starts pulling the mud and plants off me, and I start to cry. I wish I didn't camouflage myself this good. Katniss finally frees me.

"Look, Peeta, I'm going to roll you into the stream. It's very shallow here, okay?" says Katniss.

"Excellent," I say.

"On three. One, two, three." says Katniss, and then she starts rolling me. This hurts worse than when I tried to move. I'm going to die, I think there's no way I'll survive this wound. Katniss stops rolling me. I guess my screams got too loud.

Katniss is quiet of a moment. "Okay, change of plans. I'm not going to put you all the way in,"

I nod. "No more rolling?" I ask.

"That's all done. Let's get you cleaned up. Keep an eye on the woods for me okay?" she says. I nod. Katniss starts pouring water on me with her water bottles. She has three, she had to have gone to the Cornucopia to get these. Once my clothes are visible Katniss helps me out of my jacket and shirt. She has to cut my undershirt off me because it's plastered into my wounds.

Katniss props me up against a boulder. Katniss washes all the dirt off of me. Then, Katniss starts to dig the Tracker Jacker stingers out of my skin, causing me to wince. Next she takes some leafs out of her pocket and puts them in her mouth. I raise my eyebrows at her causing her to laugh. Katniss spits the was of chewed leaves out onto her hand and places it on one of my stings. I sigh in relief and Katniss smiles. She does the same for my other stings.

Katniss takes my shirt and jacket and wash them in the stream, then she lays them on a boulder. Katniss takes a container out of her backpack and applies what's in it to the burn I didn't know I had. Probably from that fire. Katniss takes out a first aid kit and takes some pills out. "Swallow these." she says. I quickly swallow them.

"You must be hungry." she says.

I shake my head. "Not really. It's funny, I haven't been hungry for days," I tell her.

She offers me some meat but I don't have an appetite for it. Katniss lets out a breath. "Peeta, we need to get some food in you." Katniss pleads.

I shake my head again. "It'll just come right back up." I say.

Katniss convinces me to eat a little bit of dried apple. But I'm just tired. "Thanks. I'm much better really. Can I sleep now, Katniss?" I ask. I haven't got any real sleep since the Tracker Jackers. "Soon, I need to look at your leg first." says Katniss.

I can tell Katniss is trying to be gentle as she removes my boots, socks, and pants but it still hurts. Once the cut has been reveled, I think I'll throw up. I look at Katniss and try to read her face.

"Pretty awful, huh?" I say.

Katniss shrugs. "So-so." I can tell it's a lie. "You should see some of the people they bring my mother from the mines. First thing is to clean it." I can't help but feel like Katniss is uncomfortable.

Katniss begins to pour water on me. The moor water is poured on, the worse my cut looks. Katniss treats some more burns and one more Tracker Jacker stings.

"Why don't we give it some air and then..." Katniss trails off.

"And then you'll patch it up?" I can tell Katniss is out of her element.

"That's right, in the mean time you eat these." She gives me some dried pair halves then goes to wash the rest of my cloths. After Katniss lays them out to dry, she looks through the first aid kit. I watch Katniss. I don't let my eyes drift away from her.

"We're going to have to experiment some," says Katniss. She puts some of the leaves in her mouth. Katniss presses the stuff to my cut and leaves her hand on top of the spit. Pus starts running down my leg and I hear Katniss swallow. I look up at Katniss. She looks like she's going to get sick.

"Katniss?" I say. Katniss's eyes meet mine. I mouth the words, "How about that kiss." Katniss starts laughing. "Something wrong?"

"I... I'm no good at this. I'm not my mother. I've no idea what I'm doing and I hate pus. Euh!" says Katniss. Katniss take off the first round of leaves and and applies the second round. Katniss groans.

I grin. "How do you hunt?" I ask.

"Trust me. Killing things is much easier than this, although, for all I know, I am killing you." she says.

I laugh. "Can you speed it up a little?" I ask.

"No. Shut up and eat your pears." she says.

The swelling in my leg has gone down and we both learn that Cato cut me all the way down to the bone. I really wish Katniss would kill me now. I sigh.

"What next, Dr. Everdeen?" I ask.

Katniss rolls her eyes. "Maybe I'll put some of the burn ointment on it. I think it helps with infection anyway. And wrap it up?" Katniss says looking through her backpack.

"Here, cover yourself with this and I'll wash you're shorts." says Katniss.

"Oh, I don't care if you see me," I say.

Katniss lets out an annoyed breath. "You're just like the rest of my family, I care, all right."

Katniss turns to face the river. I take my undershorts off, cover myself, and throw the shorts into the river.

I watch as Katniss turns around to face me slowly. I smile. "You know, you're kind of squeamish for such a lethal person," Katniss starts washing the shorts. "I wish I'd let you give Haymitch a shower after all."

"What's he sent you so far?" she asks.

"Not a thing." I say. "Why? Did he send you something?"

"Burn medicine." she says. I nod. "Oh, and some bread."

"I always knew you were his favorite." I say.

Katniss shakes her head. "Please, he can't stand being in the same room with me,"

"Because you're just alike." I mutter. Katniss doesn't say anything, and I drift off.

My eyes open, when Katniss shakes my shoulder. "Peeta, we've got to go now." she says.

I rub my eyes. "Go? Go where?" I ask. I've become fond of this area.

"Away from here. Downstream maybe. Somewhere we can hide you until you're stronger." she says. She helps me dress. All my cloths are dry. Katniss doesn't give my socks or boots back. Katniss pulls me up onto my feet. Now that there's weight on my leg, it's worse then ever. I think Katniss can tell. "Come on. You can do this."

We walk for a little while. Katniss sets me down and pushes my head between my knees. I need to get some sleep. Katniss pulls me up. She guides me to a cave.

Hopefully, I can get some sleep soon. Today has been exhausting.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Katniss lays her sleeping bag out and gets me into it. I watch Katniss as she does something at the mouth of the cave. But she gets frustrated.

"Katniss," She walks to me. "Thanks for find me." I say.

Katniss nods. "You would have found me if you could."

This is true. "Yes. Look if I don't make it back-" I begin.

"Don't talk like that. I didn't drain all that pus for nothing." she cuts me off.

"I know. But just in case I don't-"

"No, Peeta, I don't even want to discuss it," Katniss interrupts me again, placing her fingers to my lips.

"But I-"

Katniss presses her lips to mine to shut me up. Then she pulls away. "You're not going to die. I forbid it. All right?" Katniss says.

"All right," I whisper. Katniss walks out of the cave and my eyes close.

My eyes open and I pull away. Katniss was kissing me. "Peeta, look what Haymitch has sent you." says Katniss holding up a pot. It's my first sponsor. Only, I'm not hungry. Katniss tries everything to convince me to eat the broth in the pot. Eventually it's empty. I close my eyes. I wake up a few times throughout the night. Katniss is always there.

I open my eyes this time, though, Katniss is gone. I remember the carriers hunt at night. I struggle to get up, after a few minutes, Katniss walks in. I sigh. "I woke up and you were gone, I was worried about you."

Katniss laughs. "You were worried about me? Have you taken a look at yourself lately?"

"I thought Cato and Clove might have found you. They like to hunt at night." I say.

Katniss looks confused. "Clove? Which one is that?"

"The girl from District Two. She's still alive, right?" I ask.

Katniss nods. "Yes, there's just them and us and Thresh and Foxface," I raise my eyebrow, Foxface? "That's what I nicknamed the girl from Five." she tells me. "How do you feel?"

"Better than yesterday." I say. "This is an enormous improvement over the mud. Clean cloths and medicine and a sleeping bag and... you."

Katniss goes to touch my check, but I take Katniss's hand and press it to my lips. "No more kisses for you until you've eaten." says Katniss.

Katniss gives me some smashed berries, but I refuse to eat the meat again. Then I beg her to get some sleep while I take watch. She finally accepts.

After hours, Katniss wakes up. "Peeta, you were supposed to wake me after a couple hours."

"For what?" I ask. "Nothing's going on here. Besides I like watching you sleep. You don't scowl. Improves your looks a lot." Then, Katniss scowls, causing me to grin.

Katniss unwraps my leg. I watch Katniss's face, it looks like she'll throw up. "Well, there's more swelling, but the pus is gone," she says in a shaky voice.

I look at my wound. "I know what blood poisoning is. Katniss, even if my mother isn't a healer." I say.

"You're going to have to outlast the others, Peeta. They'll cure you in the Capitol when we win." she says.

"Yes, that's a good plan," I say.

Katniss looks at me for a moment. "You have to eat. Keep your strength up. I'm going to make you soup."

"Don't light a fire," I say. "It's not worth it."

"We'll see," Katniss says.

Later Katniss comes back. I wish I would die. This is making me miserable. But I need to try to think like a winner. For Katniss, it seems like she has some interest in me.

"Do you want anything?" Katniss asks.

"No thank you. Wait, yes. Tell me a story." I say. My dad used to tell me stories. And sometimes my brothers would too. Although there stories used to frighten me

"A story? About what?" she asks.

"Something happy. Tell me about the happiest day you can remember." I say.

Katniss sighs and thinks for a moment. "Did I ever tell you about how I got Prim's goat?" Katniss asks. I shake my head and listen.

Katniss begins with telling me how she was able to buy the goat. And how it was injured, once she got the goat home, Prim and Katniss's mother started working to heal the goat's wound.

"They sound like you." I say.

Katniss looks at me. "Oh, no, Peeta. That thing couldn't have died if it tired."

"Don't worry. I'm not trying. Finish the story." I say.

"Well, that's it. Only I remember that night, Prim insisted on sleeping with Lady on a blanket next to the fire. And just before they drifted off, the goat licked her check, like it was giving her a good night kiss or something. It was already mad about her." says Katniss.

I smile. "Was it still wearing the pink ribbon?"

"I think so. Why?" says Katniss.

"I'm just trying to get a picture. I can see why that day made you happy." I say.

"Well I knew that goat would be a little gold mine." she says.

I roll my eyes. "Yes, of course I was referring to that, not the lasting joy you gave the sister you love so much you took her place in the Reaping."

"The goat has paid for itself, several times over." she says.

"Well, it wouldn't dare do anything else after you saved it's life." I say. Katniss looks confused. "I intend to do the same thing." I say.

"Really what did you coast me again?" she asks.

"A lot of trouble. Don't worry. You'll get it all back." I say.

Katniss laughs. "You're not making any sense," Katniss puts her hand to my forehead. "You're a little cooler though."

Trumpets sound off and Katniss runs to the mouth of the cave. "Claudius Templesmith has another announcement. Hopefully the rule change hasn't been revoked. Thankfully Claudius invites us to the feast instead. The feast is basically the second blood bath of The Hunger Games. They send up supplies, and the tributes fight to get them.

I listen to the voice. "Now hold on. Some of you may already be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you need something desperately." says Claudius. Claudius goes into the further explaining, and I know the medicine I need for my leg will be at the feast. Once the announcement is over, and speak up. I stand up and grab Katniss's shoulder. I ignore the pain.

"No. You're not risking your life for me." I say.

"Who said I was?" says Katniss.

"So you're not going?" I ask.

"Or course, I'm not going. Give me some credit. Do you think I'm running straight into some free-for-all against Cato and Clove and Thresh? Don't be stupid. I'll let them fight it out, we'll see who's in the sky tomorrow night and work out the plan from there." she says.

"You're such a bad liar, Katniss. I don't know how you survived this long. I knew that goat would be a little gold mine. You're a little cooler though. Of course, I'm not going." I shake my head again. "Never gamble at cards. You'll lose your last coin." I say.

I watch as Katniss's face gets redder. "All right, I am going, and you can't stop me."

"I can follow you. At least partway, I may not make it to the Cornucopia, but if I'm yelling your name, I bet someone can find me. And then I'll be dead for sure." I say.

"You won't get a hundred yards from here on that leg." says Katniss.

"Then I'll drag myself. You go and I'm going too." I say.

Katniss looks at me. "What am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch you die?"

"I won't die. I promise. If you promise not to go." I say.

"Then you have to do what I say. Drink you water, wake me up when I tell you, and eat every bite of the soup no matter how disgusting it is." Katniss tells me.

I nod my head. "Agreed. Is it ready." Katniss stands up.

"Wait here," she says and walks out of the cave.

Katniss comes back, and I eat the soup, and don't complain. I even scrap every last bite of soup in the pot. And I start encouraging her with how great the soup tasted. Katniss gives me more pills and walks out of the cave.

I watch as Katniss walks back into the cave. "I brought you treat. I found a new patch of berries a little further downstream." I take the first bite.

"They're very sweet." I say.

Katniss nods. "Yes they're sugar berries. My mother makes jam from them. Haven't you ever had them before?"

I take another bite. "No. But they taste familiar. Sugar berries?" I ask.

Katniss nods and gives me another bite. "They're sweet as syrup," I say. "Syrup."

Sleep syrup. It makes you fall asleep. She will go to the feast, I try to spite the stuff up. But Katniss covers my mouth. There's nothing I can do as I'm dragged into unconsciousness.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I force my eyes open. Katniss did this so she could go to the feast and get the medicine I need. I notice a needle in my arm. The medicine. But the medicine is here, and injected into me, where's Katniss? I turn my head to look behind me.

Covered in blood, lies Katniss. I can't even tell where the blood is coming from. I crawl to Katniss, and notice my leg hurts less. I look for Katniss's heartbeat. When I find one, I laugh, she is in soo much trouble once she wakes up. If she does wake up.

It's evening I think, and I'm wondering how long I've been asleep. My stomach growls, and I begin looking through Katniss's bag. I find the meat she offered me the day she found me. I scarf down three pieces of it, I think I remember Katniss calling it groosling. That's when I realize Katnis wont be hunting for a while, and this will have to last. I put the meat away, just like Katniss had it. I try to find the source of the blood.

I do my best to clean Katniss's face. The blood is from her forehead. I find a bandage in the first aid kit and tie it around her head. I take her boots and socks off. The sun sets. I sit in the cave and watch Katniss. That's when the anthem starts. I walk to the opening of the cave. I'm surprised to see Clove's face in the sky. Did Katniss kill her? She must have. Clove probably gave Katniss her wound, too. No other faces appear.

I move back to Katniss's side. I stay up the whole night, ready to protect Katniss. In the morning, I take out some of the dried pairs in Katniss's backpack. I eat those. I'll have to be a lot more careful with the food we still have.

I think I may have gone mad, since I woke up yesterday. I just want to see her eyes again.

I watch the opening of the cave. Ready to kill anyone who comes near it. That's all I can focus on. I turn to look at Katniss when I hear her start to stir.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Katniss," I say quietly, hoping she'll wake up. "Katniss, can you hear me?"

Katniss's eyes open. I study her face, she looks frightened. Then her face goes back to being emotionless. "Peeta." she says.

I scoot closer. "Hey good to see your eyes again." I say.

Katniss yawns. "How long have I been out?"

"Not sure. I woke up yesterday evening and you were laying next to me in a very scary pool of blood." I say trying not to get angry about what Katniss did. Right now she's weak, but once she's better, she'll hear about the feast. "I think it's stopped finally, but I wouldn't sit up of anything."

Katniss lifts her hand to her wound, I can tell how tiered she is now. I put the water bottle to Katniss's lips and she drinks.

"You better," she asks.

I nod. "Much better. Whatever you shot into my arm did the trick. By this morning, almost all the swelling in my leg was gone."

Katniss smiles. She must think she did the right thing by going to the feast. I stop myself from bringing up the topic.

"Did you eat?" she asks.

I tell her about the groosling, but I add that I'm watching what I'm eating now.

"No, it's good. You need to eat. I'll go hunting soon," she says.

I don't want her hunting anytime soon. But I don't think I should tell her that. "Not too soon alright?" I asks. "You just let me take care of you for a while.

I feed Katniss and make sure she drinks water. We listen to the rain.

"I wonder what brought on this storm? I mean who's the target?" I say.

"Cato and Thresh." says Katniss without hesitation. "Foxface will be in her den somewhere, and Clove... she cut me and then..." I can tell she's uncomfortable with how Clove died.

"I know Clove's dead. I saw her in the sky last night, did you kill her?" I ask.

Katniss shakes her head. "No. Thresh broke her skull with a rock,"

I raise my eyebrows. "Lucky he didn't catch you, too."

Katniss stares at me for a long time. "He did. But he let be go."

"What?" I ask.

Katniss starts to explain how after the Tracker Jacker incident, she made an alliance with the girl from District Eleven, Rue. And then, she tells me about how they blew up the carriers food, and Rue's death. And how she killed Marvel. And then Katniss explains that by letting her go, Thresh was paying a debt.

"He let you go because he didn't want to owe you anything?" I ask in shock.

Katniss nods. "Yes. I don't expect you to understand it. You've always had enough. But if you'd lived in the Seam, I wouldn't have to explain." she says.

"And don't try. Obviously I'm too dim to get it." I say.

Katniss sighs. "It's like the bread. How I never seem to get over owing you for it,"

I stare at Katniss. She does remember about the bread I tossed her. "The bread? What? From when we were kids? I think we can let that go. I mean, you just brought me back from the dead." I say.

Katniss frowns. "But you didn't know me. We had never even spoken. Besides it's the first gift that's always the hardest to pay back. I wouldn't even have been here to do it if you hadn't helped me then, why did you anyway?" asks Katniss.

"Why? You know why?" I say. Katniss shakes her head. "Haymitch said you would take a lot of convincing." I say.

Katniss tilts her head to the side. "Haymitch? What's he got to do with it?"

I sigh. "Nothing," I need to change the topic. "So, Cato and Thresh, huh? I guess it's too much to hope they'll simultaneously destroy each other?" I say.

"I think we would like Thresh. I think he'd be our friend back in District Twelve." she says.

I nod. "Then let's hope Cato kills him, so we don't have to," I watch tears forming in Katniss's eyes. "What is it?" I ask. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"I want to go home, Peeta." she says, reminding me of a child. But isn't she? She's sixteen.

I'm surprised by these words, but I try to calm her down. "You will. I promise." I will protect Katniss. Even if I did. She'll go back home.

"I want to go home now," she says.

I tell Katniss to go to sleep, and that she'll be home before she knows it. Katniss tells me to wake her up if I need her to keep watch. But I'm not tired, and I don't think I could wake her up if I needed some sleep. She looks peaceful.

Eventually I do wake her up though. She needs to eat. I'm nervous because we're starting to run out of food. "Should we try to ration it?" I ask.

Katniss shakes her head. "No, let's just finish it." I look at her, shocked. "The groosling's getting old anyway, and the last thing we need is to get sick off spoiled food." She divides the food equaly and we eat.

"Tomorrow's hunting day." she says after we've eaten everything.

"I wont be much help with that," I say. "I've never hunted before."

Katniss smiles. "I'll kill and you cook, and you can always gather."

Katniss and I start to talk about Thresh, I tell her where he's hiding. The carriers and I had past the field he hides in. Cato told me he saw Thresh go in there after the blood bath. The field really scares me. "There could be anything in there." I say.

"Maybe there is a bread bush in that field," she says, referring to something I said earlier. "Maybe that's why Thresh's better fed than when we started the Games."

"Either that of he's got very generous sponsors, I wonder what we'd have to do to get Haymitch to send us some bread." I say.

Katniss raises her eyebrow as if it's obvious. Katniss takes my hand. "Well, he probably used a lot of resources helping me knock you out." she says.

Well, she brought it up, now I have to call her out for her stupidity. "Yeah, about that, don't try something like that again." I say.

"Or what?" she asks.

"Or... or..." I can't find the right words. "Just give me a minute."

"What's the problem?" she asks.

"The problem is we're both still alive. Which only reinforces the idea in your mind that you did the right thing." I say.

Katniss's face get's red. "I did do the right thing," she says.

"No! Just don't Katniss! Don't die for me. You won't be doing me any favors. All right?" I say.

Katniss stares at me blankly. "Maybe I did it for myself, Peeta, did you ever think of that? Maybe you aren't the only one who... who worries about... what it would be like if..." Katniss trails off, and I swallow. Does she care for me like I care for her?

"If what, Katniss?" I say quietly.

"That's exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of." she says.

I knew she was stubborn, so stubborn she can't tell me her feelings. But that doesn't matter, I have enough information to know what she would have said. "Then I'll just have to fill in the blanks myself," I say and lean in. It's the first real kiss Katniss and I have shared. When I feel Katniss's blood slid down her face, I pull away. "I think your wound is bleeding again. Come on, lie down, it's bed time anyway."

Katniss volunteers to take the first watch. But I make Katniss get in the sleeping bag with me. I pull her head down to my arm, and wrap my other arm around her. I let sleep take me.

Katniss wakes me up to take watch. "Tomorrow, when it's dry, I'll find a place so high in the trees we can both sleep in peace." she says, and her eyes close. The thought is nice, but I couldn't climb a tree before my leg was injured.

In the morning, the weather isn't better. I consider going out in the storm to look for food, but Katniss tells me it's pointless. Our only hope is that Haymitch finds us good sponsors, it's evening and we're still in the sleeping bag.

"Peeta," says Katniss. I look at her. "You said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?"

I tell Katniss the story about the first day of school, when my dad pointed her out to me. Katniss comments on parts of it. I end the story by telling her that every bird stopped to listen to her.

"Oh, please," she says.

"No it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew- just like your mother- I was a goner. Then the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you." I say.

Katniss laughs. "Without success."

I nod. "Without success. So, in a way, my name being drawn in the Reaping was a real piece of luck." I say.

Katniss smiles. "You have a... remarkable memory,"

"I remember everything about you," I say as I tuck a lose strand of hair behind Katniss's ear. "You're the one who wasn't paying attention."

"I am now," she says.

"Well, I don't have much competition here," I say with a sigh.

Katniss stares at me for a moment. "You don't have much competition anywhere."

Our lips touch when I hear something hit the rocks outside of the cave. I dash out to see what the noise was. Sponsors. And it's filled with food. I take it in to Katniss. "I guess Haymitch finally got tired of watching us starve." I say.

Katniss nods. "I guess so."

We decide not to inhale all the food at once. I suggest if the storm goes down within an hour, we'll have another serving.

"Agreed, it's going to be a long hour." says Katniss.

"Maybe not that long, what was it that you were saying just before the food arrived? Something about me... no competition... best thing that ever happened to you." I say.

Katniss laughs. "I don't remember the last part."

I grin. "Oh, that's right. That's what I was thinking. Scoot over, I'm freezing."

Katniss makes room for me in the sleeping bag, and I slid in. Katniss rests her head on my shoulder. "So, since we were five, you never even noticed any other girls?" she asks.

I shake my head. "No, I noticed just about every girl, but none of them made a lasting impression but you."

"I'm sure that would thrill your parents, you liking a girl from the Seam." she says.

I frown. "Hardly. But I couldn't care less. Anyway, if we make it back, you won't be a girl from the Seam, you'll be a girl from the Victor's Village."

Katniss wrinkles her nose. "But then, our only neighbor will by Haymitch!"

"Ah, that'll be nice. You and me and Haymitch. Very cozy. Picnics, birthdays, long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Games tales." I say.

Katniss starts laughing. "I told you, he hates me!"

"Only sometimes. When he's sober, I've never heard him say one negative thing about you," I say.

"He's never sober!" Katniss protests.

I laugh. "That's right. Who am I thinking of? Oh, I know. It's Cinna who likes you. But that's mainly because you didn't try to run when he set you on fire. On the other hand, Haymitch... well, if I were you, I'd avoid Haymitch completely. He hates you." I say.

"I thought you said I was his favorite," says Katniss.

"He hates me more, I don't think people in general are his sort of thing." I say.

Katniss looks at me. "How do you think he did it?"

"Who? Did what?" I ask.

"Haymitch. How do you think he won his Games?" she asks me.

I think about it. "He outsmarted the others." I say.

Katniss nods, she tells me we should eat again. The anthem starts, I walk to the opening. I see his picture. Thresh.

"There won't be anything to see tonight. Nothing's happened or we would've heard a cannon." she tells me.

I try to speak. "Katniss,"

"What should we split another roll too?" she asks.

"Katniss," I say again.

"I'm going to split one. But I'll save the cheese for tomorrow." says Katniss. I look at Katniss. "What?" she asks me.

"Thresh is dead." I say.

"He can't be," she said dismissively.

"They must have fired the cannon during the thunder and we missed it." I say.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's pouring buckets out there. I don't know how you can see anything," she says. She pushes me so she can see, when she does, she slumps against the rocks.

"You alright?" I ask.

Katniss shrugs. "It's just... if we didn't win... I wanted Thresh to. Because he let me go. And because of Rue."

"Yeah, I know... But this means we're one step closer to District Twelve." I put a plate of food in her hands. "Eat, it's still warm."

Katniss takes a bite. "It also means Cato will be back to hunting us."

"And he's got supplies again." I say.

Katniss nods. "He'll be wounded, I bet."

"What makes you say that." I ask.

"Because Thresh would have never gone down without a fight. He's so strong, I mean he was. And they were in his territory." she says.

"Good, the more wounded Cato is the better. I wonder how Foxface is making out." I say.

"Oh, she's fine." says Katniss. "Probably be easier to catch Cato than her."

"Maybe they'll catch each other and we can just go home." I say. "But we better be extra careful about the watches. I dozed off a few times."

"Me too. But not tonight." she says.

I offer to take the first watch. I get hungry and eat half a loaf of bread with cheese and apples on it. I wake Katniss up.

"Don't be mad, I had to eat again. Here's your half." I say.

Katniss smiles. "Oh, good." she takes her half and eats a giant bite of it.

"We make a goat cheese and apple tart at the bakery." I say.

"Bet that's expensive." she says.

I nod. "Too expensive for my family to eat. Unless it's gone very stale. Of course, practically everything we eat is stale." I say and get embarrassed, I pull the sleeping bag around me and fall asleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Someone shakes my shoulder. I open my eyes and see Katniss. I grin and pull her to me and we share a kiss. Katniss pulls away. "We're wasting hunting time." she says. I notice the rain stopped.

"I wouldn't call it wasting, so do we hunt on empty stomachs to give us an edge." I ask.

"Not us. We stuff ourselves to give us staying power." she says.

"Count me in." I say.

Katniss divides the rest of the food.

I'm surprised. "All this?" I ask.

"We'll earn in back today," she says. We both dig into our plates. Once Katniss's food is gone she scrapes the last bit of gravy with her finger.

"I can fell Effie Trinket shuddering at my manners." she says.

I grin. "Hey Effie, watch this!" I say tossing my fork over my shoulder, I lick the rest of the plate clean. Katniss laughs. I blow a kiss. "We miss you, Effie!"

Katniss covers my mouth with her hand but she's still laughing. "Stop! Cato could be right outside our cave."

I grab Katniss's hand. "What do I care? I've got you to protect me now." I say and pull Katniss to me. Katniss pulls away.

"Come on," she says. I kiss her again before she can get away.

We pack all our things and step outside of the cave. It's almost like when we first arrived in the arena. The cave felt safe. And now we're back in the arena, where Cato hunts us down.

"He'll be hunting us by now," I say and look at Katniss. "Cato isn't one to wait for his prey to wonder by."

Katniss keeps her eyes away from mine. "If he's wounded-" she begins.

"It wont matter, if he can move he's coming." I interrupted her.

She walks around quietly and I follow, doing my best to stay quiet.

"If we want food, we better head back to my old hunting grounds." she says.

"Your call. Just tell me what you need me to do," I say.

"Keep an eye out, stay on the rocks as much as possible, no sense in leaving him tacks to follow. And listen for both of us." she says. She lost her hearing in her left ear. And I can tell it bothers her. We walk through the arena, and we finally get to the woods. It's been a while since I was in this part of the arena. Katniss looks at me.

"What?" I ask.

She looks frustrated. "You've got to move more quietly. Forget about Cato, you're chasing off every rabbit in a ten-mile radius."

"Really? Sorry, I didn't know."

We continue walking and I try even harder to walk as quiet as I can.

"Can you take your boots off?" she asks.

"Here?" I ask.

"Yes. I will too. That way we'll both be quieter." she says. So we both take off our boots.

We start walking again. I cringe at every sound I make. I can practically hear my brothers laughing at me. Frustrating Katniss Everdeen with every twig snapped. But I'd like to see them do it!

We stop to drink water. "Katniss. We need to split up. I know I'm chasing away the game." I say.

"Only because your leg's hurt," she says. I can tell in her voice that she's just being nice.

"I know. So why don't you go on? Show me some plants to gather and that way we'll both be useful." I say.

Katniss looks right into my eyes. "Not if Cato comes and kills you." she says.

This causes me to laugh. "Look, I can handle Cato. I fought him before, didn't I?" I say.

"What if you climbed a tree and acted as a look out while I hunted?" she says trying to make it sound like an important job.

I roll my eyes. "What if you show me what's edible around here and go get us some meat." I say mimicking Katniss's tone. "Just don't go far, in case you need help." I add.

Katniss shows me whats edible and teaches me a bird whistle to use if one of us need the other. Then Katniss leaves. We exchange the whistle and I gather the roots Katniss showed me. Somehow I find myself at the stream and gathering berries.

I gather the berries in my hands but I feel like someone's watching me. I shrug the feeling off. Of course someone's watching me. I'm on television.

Then I hear Katniss screaming my name. And I run toward the voice.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I burst through the clearing and watch an arrow almost shoot through me. I jump back.

"What are you doing? You're supposed to be here, not running around the woods." Katniss yells.

"I found some berries down my the stream," I say, confused and terrified.

"I whistled. Why didn't you whistle back?" she asks.

"I didn't hear. The water's too loud. I guess." I say. I put my hands on Katniss's shoulders.

"I thought Cato killed you!" Katniss shouts.

"No, I'm fine." I wrap my arms around her. "Katniss,"

She pushes away. "If two people agree on a signal, they stay in range. Because if one of them doesn't answer, they're in trouble, all right?" she says.

I nod. "All right."

"All right. Because that's what happened with Rue, and I watched her die!" says Katniss, turning away from me.

Katniss digs through the backpack. "And you ate without me!" she says.

"What? No I didn't!" I say confused.

"Oh, and I suppose the apples ate the cheese," she says sarcastically.

I'm starting to get angry. "I don't know what ate the cheese, but it wasn't me. I've been down by the stream collecting berries. Would you care for some." I say.

Katniss looks at them, her back still facing me. I watch her roll a few between her fingers.

Just then a cannon fires. Katniss whips around, as if she expects to find me dead on the floor. I raise my eyebrows. A hovercraft appears and lifts Foxface out of the arena. Cato must have killed her, which means he'll be coming after us.

I grab Katniss's arm and pull her toward a tree. "Climb. He'll be here in a second. We'll stand a better chance fighting him from above." I say.

Katniss stops me, she seems calm. "No, Peeta, she's your kill not Cato's." she says.

"What? I haven't even seen her since the first day. How could I have killed her?" I ask confused.

Katniss holds out the berries. She explains to me how Foxface would steal from others just enough to keep her alive, but not enough for anyone to notice. She must have not questioned the safety of the berries because I was going to eat them.

"I wonder how she found us. My fault, I guess, if I'm as loud as you say."

"And she's very clever, Peeta. Well, she was. Until you outfoxed her." Katniss says.

"Not on purpose. Doesn't seem fair somehow. I mean, we would have both been dead, too, if she hadn't eaten the berries first." I say. "No, of course, we wouldn't. You recognized them, didn't you?"

Katniss nods. "We call them nightlock."

"Even the name sounds deadly. I'm sorry, Katniss. I really thought they were the same ones you'd gathered." I say.

Katniss shakes her head. "Don't apologize. It just means we're one step closer to home right?"

I nod. "I'll get rid of the rest," I go to throw them into the woods.

"Wait." she says, she takes out a pouch and fills it with handfuls of the berries. "If they fooled Foxface, maybe they can fool Cato as well. If he's chasing us or something, we can act like we accidentally drop the pouch and if he eats them-" says Katniss.

I grin. "Then hello District Twelve,"

"That's it." says Katniss as she secures the pouch to her belt.

"He'll know where we are now. If he was anywhere nearby and saw that hovercraft, he'll know we killed her and come after us." I say.

"Let's make a fire. Right now." she says and starts to gather branches.

"Are you ready to face him?" I ask.

"I'm ready to eat. Better to cook our food while we have the chance. If he knows we're here, he knows. But he also knows there's two of us and probably assumes we were hunting Foxface. That means you're recovered. And the fire means we're not hiding, we're inviting him here Would you show up?" Katniss asks.

"Maybe not." I say.

I make a fire out of the damp wood, and soon we have our meat roasting. We take turns watching for Cato, but he doesn't show up. Once the food is cooked, Katniss packs it up but leaves us both a rabbit leg to eat while we walk. "Come on lets go deeper into the woods and find a tree." she says.

I stop Katniss. "I can't climb like you, Katniss, especially with my leg. And I don't think I could ever fall asleep fifty feet above the ground."

"It's not safe to stay in the open, Peeta." she says.

"Can't we go back to the cave? It's near water and easy to defend." I say. I have become quite fond of the cave. It almost feels like I'm not in The Hunger Games, like we are both safe. But I know things are different now. I have a feeling the Games will be ending very soon. And hopefully Katniss and I will both come home.

Katniss kisses me. "Sure. Let's go back to the cave."

I grin. "Well, that was easy."

Katniss packs up, we toss some wood on the fire and head back to the cave. Once we reach the stream, I notice the water has dropped. Katniss suggests we walk in it. I agree because I'm sure I'll walk quieter.

Once we get to the cave, we fills our water bottles and enter the cave. Katniss tells me to get into the sleeping bag and once I do I fall asleep.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

I open my eyes as Katniss shakes my shoulder. I notice It's light outside. "I slept the whole night. That's not fair, Katniss, you should have woken me."

Katniss stretches and lays in the sleeping bag. "I'll sleep now. Wake me if anything interesting happens." she says and falls asleep. I sigh and play with her braid.

It's afternoon when Katniss wakes up. "Any sign of our friend?" she asks.

I shake my head. "No, he's keeping a disturbingly low profile." I say.

"How long do you think we'll have before the Gamemakers drive us together." Katniss asks.

"Well, Foxface died almost a day ago, so there's been plenty of time for the audience to place bets and get bored. I guess it could happen at any moment." I say.

"Yeah, I have a feeling today's the day. I wonder how they'll do it." she says.

I frown but stay quiet. I don't want to think about what they could do.

"Well, until they do, no sense in wasting a hunting day. But we should probably eat as much as we can hold just in case we run into trouble." I pack up our things while Katniss takes out the food. She takes everything but the squirrel from yesterday and an apple.

Once we get out to the stream, Katniss touches the dead river bed. "Not even a little damp. They must have drained it while we slept." she says, and I can tell she's worried.

"The lake. That's where they want us to go." I say.

"Maybe the ponds still have some." she says, like she's not so willing to go to the lake. To run into Cato.

"We can check," I say.

Once we get there, we find the pond empty. "Your right. They're driving us to the lake. Do you want to go straight away or wait until the water's tapped out?" she asks. I know Katniss is trying to delay killing Cato. But I still remember how she wanted to go home. I have to be strong for her now.

"Let's go now, while we've had food and rest. Let's just go end this thing." I say. I watch Katniss nod silently. I wrap my arms around her. "Two against one. Should be a piece of cake."

"Next time we eat it will in the Capitol," she says.

I grin. "You bet it will."

We stand there for a while. In that moment I have some hope. We can win together.

We break apart and head to the lake.

We stop at the place where the carriers and I had trapped Katniss. She looks around. "Let's move on." she says.

I stand and we leave. We reach the Cornucopia. We quickly look inside it to make sure Cato's not hiding in it. Then we head to the lake. We fill our water bottles. The sun starts to go down.

"We don't want to fight him in the dark. There's only one pair of glasses." she says.

I frown. "Maybe that's what he's waiting for. What do you want to do? Go back to the cave? I ask.

Katniss nods. "Either that or find a tree. But let's give him another half hour of so. Then we'll take cover,"

I nod and we sit together. Katniss sings a short song. The birds fall silent. I chuckle, Katniss repeats the song and the birds mimic her. "Just like your father." I say.

"That's Rue's song. I think they remember it." she says. I can tell now, how much she cared about Rue. We listen to the birds sing. Then some of them start to cry in alarm.

Katniss jumps up and I follow. We position our weapons just as Cato bursts through the clearing. He has no weapons, but he runs straight fur us. Katniss shoots an arrow at him but it falls to his side. "He's got some kind of body armor!" she shouts.

Cato runs right between us. Katniss looks around. A strange creature jumps out from the same direction Cato came from. I watch as Katniss turns and runs off the same direction as Cato. I sigh and run too.

I watch as Cato climbs up the Cornucopia and Katniss runs to it. If only I could make it up there and then, I could protect Katniss. She reaches the Cornucopia and turns to fire at the creatures behind me. "Go, Katniss! Go!" I shout. Up there she stands a chance against Cato. I run. I'm not giving up a life where Katniss likes me. And I wont let her face Cato alone. I reach the metal of the Cornucopia, but the creatures are right behind me.

"Climb!" I hear her scream. I grab the metal and pull myself up. Katniss pulls me up when I reach the top.

Katniss turns to Cato. "Can they climb it?" he asks terrified. I feel bad that we'll have to kill him soon.

"What?" Katniss shouts. She can't hear out of one ear.

"He said 'can they climb it?'" I tell her.

They are mutts. A Capitol creation. They are dog like. One mutt jumps up and lands on some metal ten feet below us. I hear Katniss scream. I look at her, she seems to be having trouble holding her arrow in place. Then she fires, even though the mutt slides down the metal.

I grab Katniss's arm. "Katniss,"

"It's her!" she says.

"Who?" I ask confused. She looks down at the mutts. I shake her shoulder. "What is it Katniss?"

"It's them. It's all of them. The others. Rue and Foxface and... and all the other tributes." she says.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Katniss is right. Each mutt resembles the tributes who have died.

"What did they do to them? You don't think... those could be their real eyes?" I ask.

Katniss is silent.

I watch in horror as a mutt jumps up and almost takes off Katniss's hand. Then I fell pain shoot out of my wounded leg. As a mutt sinks it's teeth into it. I'm pulled down, but Katniss holds me.

"Kill it, Peeta! Kill it!" she shouts.

I take the knife and stab the mutt. It lets go and falls to the ground.

Then, I'm pulled form Katniss's side, and Cato is cutting off my air. I claw at his arm, and Katniss aims her arrow at Cato.

He laughs. "Shoot me and he goes down with me." he says.

I touch my finger to my new wound on my leg and draw and 'x' on Cato's hand. And Katniss shoots right into the 'x'. I slam against him and he releases me. Both Cato and I lose our footing, and Katniss grabs me in time. Cato plummets into the mutts.

I hold onto Katniss as we wait for the cannon. We are soo close to home. I remember Cato's armor. We could be waiting for a while. All I hear are the mutts and Cato's cries. Katniss takes her jacket off and her shirt, then she puts her jacket back on.

Katniss makes me lay down and she ties the shirt around my new wound. She lays down with me. "Don't go to sleep." she says. I can tell she's scared.

"Are you cold?" I ask. I unzip my jacket and I pull my jacket around both of us.

"Cato may win this thing yet." she says.

"Don't you believe it," I say and pull Katniss's hood over her face.

Hours pass.

"Why don't they just kill him?" she asks me.

"You know why" I say and pull Katniss closer to me, protectively. I try to drift off several times but when I do Katniss won't stop yelling my name until I wake up. I point out whenever the moon moves. I think it helps Katniss.

"The sun is rising." I whisper.

Katniss open her eyes and puts her good ear on the metal of the Cornucopia.

"I think he's closer now Katniss can you shoot him?" I ask, feeling bad for Cato.

"My last arrow's in your tourniquet," she says.

"Make it count." I say and unzip the jacket. She takes the arrow out and ties the tourniquet up.

Katniss crawls to the mouth of the horn and hangs over the edge. The fear of her falling forces me to crawl to her quickly, no matter how bad my leg hurts. I breath again once I grab her. I hear the arrow fly and hit something. I pull Katniss back up quickly.

"Did you get him?" I ask. The cannon fires. "Then we won Katniss."

"Hurray for us." she says.

A hole opens in the ground and the mutts run to it. We wait for our victory to be announced.

Katniss looks up at the sky. "Hey! What's going on?" she shouts at the sky, where the hovercraft should be here to pick us up.

"Maybe it's the body. Maybe we have to move away from it." I say, unsure.

"Okay, think you can make it to the lake." she asks.

"Think I better try," I say.

We get off the Cornucopia. When we make it the the lake, Katniss gives me some water. A hovercraft appears and takes Cato. Now we can go home. But they don't take us.

"What are they waiting for?" I ask.

"I don't know." she says. She stands up and picks up the arrow, the one that bounced off Cato's armor. Claudius Templesmith's voice booms through the arena.

"Greetings to the final contestants of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Katniss and I stare at each other.

"If you think about it, it's not that surprising." I say. I'm not going back to District Twelve, and I'm not getting a life with Katniss. I step toward her, pulling my knife out and tossing it into the lake. I notice Katniss with an arrow ready to pierce through me. I raise my eyebrows and Katniss drops her weapon.

"No. Do it." I say, and put the weapon back in her hand. "Do it before they send those mutts back or something. I don't want to die like Cato,"

"Then you shoot me. You shoot me and go home and live with it!" she says, and shoves the weapons into my hands.

"You know I can't." I say and toss the weapon to the ground. "Fine. I'll go first anyway." I say ripping the cloth from my wound.

"No, you can't kill yourself." Katniss sits on her knees trying to get the cloth back on me.

"Katniss. It's what I want." I say.

"No. Your not leaving me here alone." she says.

I pull Katniss to her feet. "Listen. We both know they have to have a victor. It can only be one of us. Please take it. For me." I say. "I love you Katniss. And life would be nothing for me back home if you did." I stop talking when I notice Katniss pulling the nightlock out.

"No I won't let you." I say.

"Trust me." Katniss whispers. I let go of her wrist. She fills both our hands with berries. "On the count of three."

I kiss her. "The count of three."

I stand. Backs pressed together and our empty hands are locked together.

"Hold them out. I want everyone to see," I say.

Katniss squeezes me hand and we start counting. "One. Two. Three."

I lift my hand to my mouth and put the berries in.

Trumpets sound off. "Stop! Stop!" I hear Claudius Templesmith's voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to present the victors of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! I give you- the tributes of District Twelve."

I spit the berries out, and pull Katniss to the lake, and we wash our mouths.

"You didn't swallow any?" she asks.

I shake my head. "You?" I ask.

"Guess I'd be dead by now if I did." she says.

I start to say something, but I'm interrupted by the screams of the Capitol crowed they're playing on the speakers.

The hovercraft appear and two ladders come down. I grab onto one and the current freezes me in place. Once the current lets go my eyes close.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

My eyes open, and I find Haymitch sitting on the side of my bed staring at me.

"Hey kid," he says.

"Hello Haymitch," I say.

"Listen-" Haymitch begins.

"Is Katniss okay?" I ask.

Haymitch lets out a breath. "Last time I checked, she's fine, but, there's something I have to tell you." I look at him. "They had to take off your leg, kid."

I sit up, eyes wide. I find the metal attached to my flesh.

"You may need some practice on it." he says and stands up. "I'm gonna check on sweetheart." and he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.

I slowly get up. Haymitch did say I needed practice. Once I'm standing, I try taking I step, but lose my balance. I grab the hospital bed to keep me up.

I let out an annoyed breath and lay back on the bed. I'll have plenty of time to learn how to walk on my new leg. Katniss is fine, she was in better health than I was, after the Games. I smile and think about what my life with Katniss will include. I just can't believe I got the girl I love to love me back. I fall asleep.

Days go by, and I learn how to walk on my leg. But I need a cane right now, to help me balance.

Portia helps me get ready for a televised event with Caesar Flickerman. I'm getting anxious to see Katniss again. I'd gotten used to her being at my side at all times.

I rise onto the stage after reuniting with Effie. I find Katniss in a yellow dress. I've missed her soo much. Katniss takes a few steps toward me and then, flings herself at me. I almost lose my balance. I hold her tight and lean in to kiss her. Caesar taps my shoulder, and I push him away. I missed her.

Haymitch stops us and shoves us toward the Victor's chair. Katniss laughs. Once we're seated, Katniss leans her head on my shoulder and I wrap my arm around her.

We watch all the important parts of The Hunger Games. Then, President Snow comes out, followed by a little girl carrying a crown. He gives it a twist, and the crown splits in half. He puts on half on each of our heads. Then we're taken to the President's mansion for the Victory Banquet. Then we go to bed.

In the morning, we are taken to the sitting room, where our interview will take place. I never thought I'd get interviewed as victor. I pull Katniss to the side before the interview starts.

"I hardly get to see you. Haymitch seems bent on keeping us apart." I say.

"Yes, he's gotten very responsible lately." she says.

I nod, frustrated. "Well, there's just this and we go home. Then he can't watch us all the time."

We sit on the love seat.

"Oh, go ahead and curl up next to him if you want. It looked very sweet." says Caesar. So I pull Katniss closer to me. The cameras starts. Eventually, Caesar asks something that interests me.

"Well, Peeta, we know, from our days in that cave, that it was love at first sight from what, age five?" Caesar asks.

I smile. "From the moment I laid eyes on her." I say.

"But, Katniss, what a ride for you. I think the real excitement for the audience was watching you fall for him. When did you realize you were in love with him?" Caesar asks.

"Oh, that's a hard one..." says Katniss.

"Well, I know when it hit me. The night when you shouted out his name from that tree." says Caesar.

Katniss nods. "Yes, I guess that was it. I mean until that point, I just tired not to think about what my feelings might me, honestly, because it was so confusing and it only made things worse if I actually cared about him. But then, in the tree, everything changed." says Katniss, and I smile.

"Why do you think that was?" Caesar asks.

"Maybe... because for the first time... there was a chance I could keep him." she says.

I grin. "So now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me?"

Katniss turns to face me. "Put you somewhere you can't get hurt." she says. I kiss her.

Then, Caesar talks about all the ways we got hurt in the arena. Eventually, he brings up the mutts. "Now, Peeta, do tell me how your new leg is working out."

"New leg?" Katniss asks, reaching out and pulling up the bottom of my pants, so she can see the metal. "Oh, no," she whispers.

"No one told you?" Caesar asks and Katniss shakes her head.

"I haven't had the chance," I say shrugging.

Katniss lets out a breath. "It's my fault. Because I used the tourniquet."

"Yes, it's your fault I'm alive," I say.

"He's right," says Caesar. "He'd have bled to death for sure without it."

Katniss stays quiet. The next time Caesar asks Katniss a question, it's about the berries.

"Katniss, I know you've had a shock, but I've got to ask. The moment when you pulled out those berries, what was going on in your mind... hm?"

"I don't know, I just... couldn't bear the thought of... being without him." she says.

"Peeta? Anything to add?" Caesar asks.

I shake my head. "No. I think that goes for both of us,"

The interview ends, and we get on the train.

Katniss goes to change her cloths. She comes back in a plain shirt and some pants, and she looks more herself then she has in the Capitol. I wrap my arm around her shoulder. Once the train stops for fuel, were aloud to go outside for fresh air. Katniss and I walk hand in hand and I gather some flowers for her. She takes them but stays silent.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing," she says and we keep walking.

Haymitch lays a hand on both of our backs, and Katniss jumps. "Great job, you two." he says. "Just keep it up in the district until the cameras are gone. We should be okay." Haymitch walks back to the train.

I look at Katniss. "What's he mean?"

Katniss lets out a breath. "It's the Capitol. They didn't like out stunt with the berries." she says.

"What? What are you talking about?" I ask.

"It seemed too rebellious. So, Haymitch has been coaching me through the last few days. So I don't make it worse." she says.

"Coaching you? But not me," I say, getting angry.

"He knew you were smart enough to get it right," she says.

"I didn't know there was anything to get right." I say.

"So, what your saying is, these last few days and then I guess... back in the arena... that was just some strategy you two worked out." I say through greeted teeth.

"No. I mean, I couldn't even talk to him in the arena, could I?" she says.

"But you knew what he wanted you to do, didn't you?" I ask. Katniss bites her lip. "Katniss?" I drop her hand. She takes a step back.

"It was all for the Games, how you acted." I say.

"Not all of it," she says.

"Then how much? No forget that. I guess the real question is what's going to be left when we get back home?" I say.

"I don't know," she says. "The closer we get to District Twelve, the more confused I get," she says. I wait for her to continue speaking, but she doesn't.

"Well let me know when you work it out." I say trying not to let my pain show. I walk away, leaving her behind as a board the train. I go straight to my room.

It was all for the Games. All my hope was fake, we don't, and never will have a future together. I'd be lucky if we were friends.

I close my eyes and try not to think about those silver eyes, or how the birds stop to listen. Katniss has become part of a Game. But I don't want to play. I still love her. I'll still do everything I can to protect her, but I'm just about done playing this Game.


End file.
